


Lady Luck

by gneebee



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Romance, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-03-06 00:10:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 94,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18839626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gneebee/pseuds/gneebee
Summary: He recognized her immediately, it was the pretty blonde in the tight red dress. She'd been there drinking too, but what was she doing here? And why was she sitting on the end of the bed bawling like a baby? Shit, was this her room? It must be.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Friday! Scifigirl22 and I started this story about a year ago. We were at chapter three when life presented itself and she had to step away. A few weeks ago I asked her if she would mind if I revisited the story, changed some things and completed it. She graciously said, "Go for it!" and here we are. I can't thank her enough for sharing her ideas with me and allowing me to put this story on paper.
> 
> I hope you'll have as much fun with it as I have.
> 
> Here we go!

 

**Las Vegas, Nevada 2010**

_Daryl woke from his alcohol induced slumber to the sound of what he was sure must be the bawling of a injured animal. Did he shoot something and only wound it, not kill it? Whatever happened he had to put it out of its misery and fast. He instinctively reached over his shoulder to grab a bolt from his quiver and finish the job. There was no bolt, all he got was a handful of pillow._

_The bawling sound continued._

_His brain kicked in just a little as he remembered, damn he'd gotten so drunk._

_When he finally managed to pry his eyes open they burned like fire and his throat felt like he'd been snacking on broken glass. "Fuckin' Merle," he mumbled. This had to be his doing. Everything that went wrong always turned out to be Merle's fault._

_His head was pounding like a bass drum and dammit, whatever that sound was just wouldn't stop. He finally forced his head off the pillow far enough to take in his surroundings._

_This sure as hell wasn't the motel room him and his brother had rented. Whatever this place was it was extra fancy, one of those thousand dollar a night hotel suites. The fuck? Was he having some weird ass dream? He rubbed the heels of his palms over his eyes trying to clear his fuzzy vision, while also managing to pull himself up to a seated position._

_He hung his head, waiting for the resulting wave of nausea to pass and then looked up in search of where the bawling noise was coming from._

_He recognized her immediately, it was the pretty blonde in the tight red dress. She'd been there drinking too, but what was she doing here? And why was she sitting on the end of the bed bawling like a baby? Shit, was this her room? Damn, it must be._

_He quickly looked down at himself to check and yeah, he was still dressed. He also spotted an unopened box of rubbers on the night stand next to him. They must have had something in mind a lot more fun than passing out._

_So why was she crying? If no drunken mistakes had been made then what could possibly be getting her so upset? Maybe she just felt shitty, hungover and embarrassed about having a strange man in her bed and the thought of what almost happened. He managed to grumble out his question,"S'wrong girl?"_

_When she turned he remembered those beautiful blue eyes, but they'd been much happier blue eyes last night. This morning they were red-rimmed and full of tears. She didn't speak, she just looked real sad as she handed him the piece of paper._

_When he reached for it he noticed he had new ink. The tattoo was a band of arrows on his left ring finger. Fuck, he really had been crazy drunk. Then it hit him and suddenly he was scared shitless to look at the paper._

_It was just as he feared. A State of Nevada Marriage License._

_"Fuck!" He snarled, and his new bride started crying harder._

00

The economy tanked in 2008 and the impact of the crash didn't miss the Dixon Brothers. Their motorcycle sales and repair business, _Road Ragin'_ , took a devastating hit.

That's when everything changed, and not for the better. Guys weren't borrowing money to buy big boy toys, not the way they did when everything was coming up roses. Loans had gone from being as easy to come by as signing a piece of paper, to as hard to get as a free ride on a rocket ship. With new bike sales way, way down their business was suffering.

December was starting out okay with Christmas coming and all. Not in Bike sales, they were still slow. It was accessories like helmets, jackets, gloves, boots, all the things a woman might think to put under the tree for her old man. But the brothers knew that come January business would be at a practical standstill.

They'd begun taking action to save their business a few months earlier and a lot of what they had to do hurt. They simply had no choice. They were determined to keep Road Ragin' in business while they hoped against hope the economy would pick up.

They'd made the hardest decision and laid off two of their mechanics and their only salesman. They kept just two critical employees. The lead mechanic Caesar, and their secretary / bookkeeper and Jill of all trades, Caesar's wife Amy.

It wasn't just their employees that felt the pain of the economic bust, the brothers sacrificed too. They'd taken big pay cuts and trimmed their personal expenses to the bare bone. It all helped but they still had to find other ways of cutting back.

The plan was that as of January Daryl would move in with Merle. He'd be renting out his own house for enough money to cover the monthly mortgage payment. Merle was giving up something big too, he was going to sell his beloved 1963 Corvette. He'd restored the classic car from the chassis up and the vehicle was his pride and joy. It had to be done though, the money they saved and the cash from the sale of the car would mean the brothers could go without drawing a salary for a few months.

It wasn't what either of them wanted, they were downright sour over it all, but they were counting on things getting better. Eventually the economy had to turn around, sales and custom work would pick back up. Daryl could move back in his own home and the shop would be running a full crew.

That day couldn't come soon enough to suit the brothers.

* * *

Merle and his old army buddy, Abe Ford, kept in touch from time to time and when Abe called the second week of December all those other plans got put on hold. At least for the next month or so.

Abe lived just north of Los Angeles in Ventura County, California, where he rented a little place right on the coast. He'd been trying for years to talk Merle into coming out that way so they could take their bikes on a run up Pacific Coast Highway to the Oregon border. "Shit Dixon, it'll be the trip of a lifetime. Don't be a dipshit and blow this off, get your ass over to the left coast and let's do some ridin'."

Merle always just laughed out a "fuck you" and said, "Yeah man, someday, someday."

This time when Abe called there was a lot more urgency involved, "It's now or never Dixon. Thanks to this fucked-up economy the place where I work is going out of business at the end of the year. The good news is I's able to get hired on up in Boise. I start my new job February 1st. If you and your brother wanna take that ride we're gonna have to do it fast or forget it. Whaddya say?"

Merle didn't stop to think, he went for it, "Yeah, fuck yeah." Why the hell not? Business in January would be slow as molasses. What little there was Caesar and Amy could handle, no problem.

He slapped Daryl on the back and told him the plan, "Guess what little brother? We're goin' road trippin'!" By then Merle was so fully into his "what the fuck" frame of mind he took the last of his savings out of the bank. Why the hell not? They deserved to have some fun.

Still the brothers agreed to do the thing on the fast and cheap. They'd trailer the bikes behind the pickup, pack their sleeping bags and a couple of coolers of food and drinks. As they traveled I-40 west the 2,234 miles to Ventura they'd take turns driving, sleeping, and eat what they'd brought.

The goal was to make it to Abe's place in just over two days.

00

The Christmas season was _not_ starting off well for Beth Greene, not well at all. First came the foreclosure notice on her Daddy's farm. Back when the economy was booming Hershel Greene borrowed $200,000 from the savings and loan. He bought a real nice used tractor and also made some much-needed repairs to the barn, the irrigation system, and the aging farmhouse, like the very expensive new roof. There was also a new well and updated electrical.

Who knew the economy was about to die an unexpected and ugly death?

Anyway, the bank was calling in the loan which meant Daddy had just 90 days to come up with the $180,000 he still owed. The savings and loan might as well ask for a billion dollars. No one in the Greene family had that kind of money.

Beth's brother Shawn even tried to take out a loan on his own house to help out, but the banks just weren't lending. She couldn't believe it was true, but it was. Sometime in early March the farm would be gone and her Daddy's heart would be broken forever.

The bad economy hit her in the wallet as well. She worked for a manufacturing company in the accounting department and when everything fell apart she agreed to take a pay cut to save her job. It hurt but mostly in ways she knew she shouldn't complain about, no more nail salons, no more eating lunches out, no more new clothes. She realized she was luckier than most though, she still had an income.

All of it was awful and painful and just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, bam, it did.

Her friend Amber was crushing on the bartender at the new wine bar in town and she begged Beth to go to Happy Hour after work, "We'll just sip on one and it's my treat, please Beth." It had been one of those weeks and Beth agreed, she could use a glass of wine.

They walked in the cute little wine bar called Charlie's Place and there he was, Beth's boyfriend with some tall slim redhead, his hand halfway up her thigh.

That dirty bastard.

Life was most definitely not going well for Beth Greene. Not well at all.

She tried hard to look at the bright side. Shawn and his wife promised to take Daddy into their home if the farm was lost. She still had her job and a little apartment of her own, and Maggie, man Maggie was doing great. Her sister had a wonderful guy who was so well grounded and such a sweetheart. When her sister finally decided to settle down she'd done it right.

Maggie's fiancé, Glenn Rhee, had gone from being a pizza delivery driver to owning a small chain of pizza restaurants in Georgia and Tennessee. It didn't seem to matter how bad the economy got, folks still went out for pizza. His business had barely taken a hit.

That Saturday morning Maggie was banging on Beth's apartment door at 8:00 am. "Geez Maggie what the heck's going on? Everything's okay isn't it? I'm barely on my second cup of coffee."

"This news couldn't wait Bethie! There's finally some fun and excitement coming your way!"

Beth handed her sister a cup of coffee, gave her a skeptical look and asked, "Oh yeah, did I win the lottery?"

"Let's not be ridiculous Beth, besides, you have to buy a ticket. No. But what _is_ going on is I'm taking you on an all-expense paid mini vacation!"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Vegas Baby for my bachelorette party! Glenn is paying our airfare and paying for the room. He booked our tickets last night! With the economy so sucky he got the room and the airfare cheap. We can share the room so that won't cost you beans, and he said not to worry about the airfare. It's his treat because he knew I wanted you with me."

"All you need is a little money to spend on partying and you won't even need much for that. I've heard pretty girls get all the free drinks they want in Vegas. Oh, and I forgot to mention, we're staying at Caesar's Palace! Can you even believe it?! I'm so excited. Isn't Glenn just the best?"

When her sister finally came up for air Beth asked, "When is this big weekend and who's going?" She didn't want to go; the idea didn't appeal at all. She wasn't the party girl type and Vegas sounded like such a big crazy party town. She just couldn't imagine any of it was going to be her idea of a good time. Besides, she was way too busy sitting around feeling sorry for herself to be bothered with having fun.

Still she'd go. It meant too much to Maggie, she couldn't let her sister down.

"We're going the third week in January, I'll get you all the info. Anyway, it's my usual crew, Andrea, oh and Rick's going to let Lori go, they haven't been getting along anyway, and Karen and Rosita are going. They're all sharing rooms too. It's going to get wild and crazy Bethie! You know what they say - what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!"

Beth wanted to crawl under a rock and hide until it was over but she tried to sound cheery when she said, "Oh it's going to be so fun Maggie! Glenn is such a terrific guy. I can't wait!"

She didn't care for Andrea Harrison, she also had zero desire to go to Vegas for some big drunken party weekend. But when Maggie left Beth scolded herself for thinking such negative thoughts. It was a practically free vacation. Her sister wanted her to help her celebrate and it wasn't like she had to hang out with Andrea. She could hang with Karen and Rosita. Besides, maybe a change of scenery was just what she needed.

00

The brothers left midweek stopping only to gas up. They were eager to get to their destination, chill in Ventura overnight and then head up Pacific Coast Highway for the ride of their lives.

Two and a half days of hard driving had them arriving at Abe's place, a small rental house just a block from the beach. The three men each grabbed a can of beer and headed to the sand. Abe smiled, "Ain't allowed to drink on the beach here in Cali so keep em hid boys." Then he raised his own can up, took a big swallow and hollered, "Y'all can suck my nuts!"

Merle slapped his brother on the back and laughed, "See there kid? I told ya he's our kinda guy."

After checking out the surf they made their way back to Abe's place and planted their asses and a cooler full of beers by the firepit in the backyard. Merle and his old army buddy got caught up, exchanging stories and just shooting the shit while Daryl sat back with a cold one and took it all in. He didn't mind listening to their stories, he was just glad to be out of the damn pickup and breathing in the fresh salt air. After a while Abe threw some burgers on the grill and the guys got down to making their plans for the next few days.

They hit the sack at a decent hour and early the next morning they rolled up their sleeping bags and loaded their saddlebags with what little they were taking. They were ready and anxious. They scarfed down ham and eggs at a diner not far from Abe's place then got on those bikes and they were gone.

For their trip up the coast Daryl would be riding what for him was his dream bike, his 2006 black on chrome Indian. Merle was a Harley man through and through and he was glad he'd decided not to chop his 2005. It would make for a more stable ride now that he was going on a road trip.

It was Abe's bike that blew Daryl's mind. It was a huge customized Harley trike and the big man looked even bigger riding it.

It was hard to keep eyes on the road when there was so much to see. The waves were crashing and the coastline seemed to change its look every half mile or so. Daryl was in awe as he took it all in, from rugged and rocky to flat and sandy and everything in between.

Abe led the way as they traveled up the coast to a town called Pismo Beach. They hadn't gone too far but Abe had a buddy there he wanted to drop in on. It turned out to be a real good idea. The guy's wife was out of town visiting her Mama and the dude suggested, "You guys can crash here tonight if ya want. There's plenty of room on the living room floor. Right now we oughta head over and rent us some dune buggies. I'll show ya what a real ride is all about." The trio was game.

The rest of the afternoon was spent riding the buggies and laughing and yelling their asses off. They cooked polish dogs on the guy's grill that evening and drank a few beers. The next morning they thanked him for his hospitality and they were on their way.

That's how the trip went as they continued north from Pismo Beach up through Morro Bay and San Simeon, Santa Cruz and San Jose, through the craziness and congestion of San Francisco and the Bay Area, then Santa Rosa and up through Mendocino and Eureka. It was all fun and casual and they did everything along the way from digging clams to hitting local bike shops and biker hangouts.

It took a few days and those days were all fun and good times, and eventually they made it all the way to the last town on the coastal California side of the California / Oregon border, Crescent City.

They took the evening to party hard and celebrate the outstanding ride they'd had, and they took a little time to check out the California redwoods the next day.

As they headed back south to Abe's place Daryl realized, he'd finally shaken the blues he'd been feeling since the business began to struggle. He was almost starting to think life could be awesome.

When they got back down to Abe's they stayed one more night, washed up their clothes and all agreed, the next time they met up would be for a ride through the Rocky Mountains.

00

The brothers were on the road at 4:30am to avoid the heavy commuter traffic Abe had warned about. It was when they got on the I-15 that the real story begins.

Merle saw the signs and he was tempted. At Barstow, California there was a choice to be made. He could merge onto the 40 and head right back toward Georgia, or he could take a little detour, stay on the 15 and they'd hit Vegas.

Daryl could see that old familiar glimmer in his brother's eye, the one he got when a good time was about to be had. Sure enough Merle asked, "Whaddya say brother? We still got a little cash. Ya wanna try our luck in Vegas? This'll probably be the only chance we'll ever get."

For once in his life Daryl was feeling mellow and happy, he was coming off one of the best bike trips he could ever hope for, "Why the fuck not? Maybe I'll win my million."

00

She made the effort, she honestly did want to be there for her sister. And Maggie had gotten her the cutest and the tightest red dress to wear. She wiggled herself into it, did her hair and her makeup in "party" fashion, and smiled like this was going to be the best night of her life.

It was what Maggie and her friends decided on, the big male review at a joint just down the strip. Great. She had no interest in watching men take their clothes off. She was so over anything "male." Still she managed to keep a smile plastered firmly on her face. At least for a while. It only lasted until the first guy came on stage. He was wearing a cowboy hat, a pair of tight and tiny bikini pants, fake chaps, fake pistols hung on his gyrating hips, and fake cowboy boots on his feet. His body was covered in oil and the women were screaming and going half-crazy tucking money in his tiny pants.

Her sister and her friends were caught up in the show and Beth figured she could slip away for a while. Just go somewhere quiet for a quick drink and away from the gross guys and the crazed women. She'd be back in a couple of hours and they'd never even know she'd been gone.

She told them she was going to the rest room, none of them even looked her way. She walked out the door and just two blocks down there it was, a little western bar. It was pretty darn glitzy for a country joint called Cactus Dan's, but then this was Vegas. When she heard the Patsy Cline song playing she knew it was just the kind of place to drown her sorrows.

She was only going to have that one drink.

00

They hadn't stayed in a motel since they left Georgia but tonight was different. Merle pulled into an old joint on the outskirts of town that looked like it had been there since 1940. It had one thing and one thing only going for it. It was cheap.

Rundown didn't bother the Dixons. They weren't there for the room and they knew all about run down. The whole look of the place kind of reminded Daryl of the trailer they lived in for a while when he was a kid.

Merle showered up first and while he waited for his brother he flipped on the ancient box TV. He was just reaching to change the channel when the commercial about the contest came on. Shit, he wished he knew someone around these parts, they could take a chance on winning. Fuck his luck.

The brothers weren't looking to get popped for drunk driving and they'd heard parking was impossible on the strip, they wisely chose to get a cab. They asked the driver if he knew a place where they could listen to a little country music, drink some beers and play a game of pool. Somewhere near a big casino. Their idea was to get primed up first then maybe try their luck at little blackjack. The driver dropped them off at a place called Cactus Dan's.

They were enjoying the music and sucking on some suds when the swinging doors opened. Merle turned that way and saw her walk in. He wasn't alone. Daryl was trying to be sly as he checked out the pretty blonde in the tight red dress, but Merle caught the look in his brother's eye. He also didn't miss the way that blonde was trying to act nonchalant as she got herself an eyeful of little brother.

Merle's wheels started spinning.

00

_He didn't mean to make her cry harder, he felt bad for her but he was in the same spot she was. And her crying wasn't helping the pounding in his head. He jumped up off the bed way too fast considering his hungover condition. Still dizzy from the sudden move he sat down beside her and tried to reason, "Hey c'mon now girl, stop your cryin', please. I'm not some asshole and I'm just as shook by all of this as you are."_

_Her crying continued and he tried again, "I didn't count on wakin' up married either. We can fix it though. They got annulments for shit like this."_

_That got her attention, "Really? Can we do that?" Then she sobbed and said, "And look at THIS!" And there it was, third finger left hand. A tattoo. A small string of flowers formed a band around her delicate finger. Fuck._

_"Damn girl, I'm sorry. I don't know how the hell this happened either and look, I got one too."_

_"Oh my gawd, oh my gawd. What are we going to do?"_

_"We can do the annulment thing and docs got a way ta take this ink off. We'll go our separate ways and try'n forget this ever happened. I ain't fightin' it and you ain't fightin' it, it oughta be fast and easy in a place like Vegas. Ya know this kinda shit must happen here all the time."_

_That's when there was a pounding on the door. Were people ever going to stop with the loud noises? He hurried to open it before they pounded again, "Merle. Fuck man, whaddya know bout this weddin' shit?"_

_Merle entered the room and had just opened his mouth to answer when there was another knock. It was a waiter who rolled in a table laden with champagne, orange juice, a pot of coffee, croissant and other pastries, a fruit bowl and assorted meats, cheeses and soft cooked eggs in pretty little egg cups. The guy moved two chairs over to the table and asked, "Can I be of further service?"_

_What the fuck was going on?_

_"We gotta pay for this?" Daryl worried._

_"No sir, it's courtesy of the management." Daryl handed him a ten and said, "Nuthin' else, but thanks man." He had to be stuck in some kind of dream. That was the only explanation._

_Merle pointed at the spread, "Both of ya sit down, calm down,_ __get ya some coffee_ and lemme just explain sumthin' to ya."_

_Daryl grabbed the bottle of champagne. "Screw the coffee. Um, girl, Beth, how bout a hair a the dog? Might help us both feel a little better."_

_"It sounds disgusting, but yes please." He almost smiled then, remembering just how damn cute this woman was, and how the night before he couldn't take his eyes off her sweet smile. Fuck, and then what happened? He decided what the hell? Why not just marry her?_

00


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the reviews and kudos. I appreciate you.
> 
> This chapter we're going to learn a little from Merle about what happened, and our newlyweds will discuss their situation. Beth will make a couple of tough phone calls and Daryl's going to come to a realization. I hope you enjoy! xo

 

00

His head was pounding and her head was spinning. They were nervous, confused and dreading what would come next as they drank champagne and waited to hear what Merle had to say.

Merle looked confident like he always did as he began to tell them the story. Not the whole story of course, just the part he wanted them to know. "Okay so there was this contest, well not exactly a contest…but…well it went like this. This hotel where we're at? It's called the French Riviera. The place is fuckin' huge and they got it all. It's like a Super Walmart Hotel for rich people."

"Besides the fancy hotel part there's a big ass casino and an indoor shoppin' mall with all manner a stores we'd never shop at. There's sumthin' called a luxury spa, a grand theater for big shows and smaller theaters for acts not so famous. There's all kinds a restaurants and oh man, there's a shitload a bars. Oh, and yeah, the weddin' chapel."

The newlyweds continued sipping champagne as they anxiously listened, "Anyway, just like the rest of us poor bastards Vegas has taken it in the shorts since the economy blew a fuse. So now, ta get folks here spending their money the hotels' marketin' genius, a real nice gal named Carol, we all met her last night you two just don't remember. Anyway, she comes up with this idea. Well it's kind of a marketin' plan and kind of a publicity stunt all rolled into one."

"The deal is they run this ' _Come ta Vegas, get married and have a chance at a million dollar fortune_ ' thing. Ya gotta get married here at their chapel and ya gotta be the 5,000th couple durin' the six month time period. If you're number 5,000 then boom, ya get a million-dollar prize. You kids were number 5,000 and ya won the million bucks."

That's when Daryl flipped him off, "You're so fuckin' fulla shit Merle. If I wasn't so damn sick I'd kick yer ass right now."

Merle didn't bat an eye, "Now brother, I might very well be fulla shit mosta the time, but not this time. Nope. No I ain't. It's the gospel truth. You two are gettin' a million bucks ta share."

The newlyweds looked at each other, smiled and high-fived, phew! A half a million each, an annulment and all their problems were solved.

Then Merle went on, "There's conditions though, ya know rules ya gotta follow an whatnot."

Beth's whole body tensed and Daryl could swear she was shaking. He kind of felt like he ought to hug her or something, but no, that would probably make it worse. Her shoulders slumped and her voice was weak when she asked, "Oh no, what do I have to do?"

Merle did his best to sound consoling, "Now little one, Beth, see here, it ain't gonna be that bad. All ya need ta do is pretend this marriage is the real deal. Act like the two a ya met and boom! You was in love, ya got hitched. Then comes the other part a the rules, ya gotta live together, act married, be like a real couple. If ya ain't like that, if they think it's bullshit, ya gotta pay all the money back. Don't worry though, that pretendin' shit only goes on for a year and then the deal is done."

"A year brother? Me and her gotta live together and pretend we're married for a _year_?"

Merle tried hard to put some lipstick on that pig, "Well shit, how hard is that kid? Ya just move in together and if ya ain't inta the romance part then I s'pose you can have separate rooms. No one needs ta know ya ain't sleepin' together, just keep it a secret. Course you're gonna hafta be careful about what ya do that folks can see. Neither of ya can be steppin' out with some other guy or gal, you'll get caught for sure. Ya gotta act happy and all in love with each other in fronta other people, all the time. Cuz that's the other deal."

Beth looked scared to death when she asked, "There's another deal?"

Merle was downright cheerful when he answered, "Don't you worry little one, it ain't bad at all. It's just publicity and it starts today. The marketin' lady's gonna explain all that to ya, how it works, but yeah, so ya know, today ya get your pictures taken together. Ya just smile pretty and act like the happy, lovin' Vegas couple. There's even gonna be a TV commercial with y'all in it. They'll be droppin' in on ya from time ta time all year. Takin' pictures of the happy couple and all." And he smiled that big cheesy grin like it was all just every day stuff and perfectly wonderful.

That's when Daryl panicked. He started pacing the floor and chewing at the side of his thumb, while his new bride just watched wide-eyed and wondering what was next. He was firm, "Fuck no, we ain't doin' it. A TV commercial? Me? Nah, I ain't the kind ta act a way that I ain't. Me n her, we made a mistake. We already got a plan ta fix it. That's that, no dice. We're done."

Merle put on his calm and reasonable voice, "Well now before ya decide for sure lemme give ya sumthin' ta think about. Little one, Beth, last night you was cryin' a little. You said your Daddy was gonna lose the family farm on accounta there was no money ta pay the $180,000 bank note. If ya do this thing you could pay it for him and still have plenty left ta get whatever ya want for yourself."

"Little brother have ya forgotten our business is strugglin'? This money could get us through these hard days and we could start gettin' ready for the good days ta come. We can get one a them fancy diagnostic computers. Think of it Daryl, we could compete with the big boys just like ya been wantin'. We can spruce up the shop like we talked about too. Kid, you won't hafta rent your place out and I won't hafta sell the Vette."

They were quiet now, Beth was biting her bottom lip while Daryl still chewed at the side of his thumb. Then Merle said, "I'ma go meet with Carol now ta work out some details. Y'all eat your breakfast, that'll help with the hangovers. Talk things over, think about the good parts and remember you're just kids and it's only a year. It'll be over before ya know it. Don't forget though, only you two and me can ever know it was phony. We damn sure don't wanna pay back no million dollars."

As he walked out the door he turned and cheerfully instructed, "Y'all eat now, they're comin' ta get ya in an hour."

* * *

Merle walked out and they stood staring at the door feeling overwhelmed, shaken to the core and confused about what to do next. They finally plopped themselves down at the table full of food.

Beth's elbow rested on the table and her head was in her hand. Her already nasty hangover wasn't helped at all by the way her mind was working overtime. It was crazy, stupid and scary. How could she possibly live with a man she didn't even know? How could she just pretend she was happily married and all in love? But there was the huge amount of money to think about. A million dollars. How could that even be possible?

What Merle said jarred lose a couple of things in her memory. She'd been so drunk when the subject came up, but now she recalled how sweet Daryl had been to her when she talked about her Daddy's troubles. She remembered him putting his strong arm around her and telling her maybe something would come up, maybe they could figure something out together, maybe the savings and loan would reason with them. Then he kissed her forehead and just his words and the loving gesture made everything seem so much better.

She looked at the man she couldn't believe was her husband and said, "It's a million dollars Daryl. Between us we have a million dollars." They were staring disbelievingly in each other's eyes as they tried to digest their new reality. "It means I can save my Daddy's farm and pay off my student loans. I'd still have enough money to maybe put a down payment on a little house, furnish it and get a new wardrobe. I..." She stopped, she was getting way ahead of herself.

"What about you Daryl, what do you think? Do you think we could pull it off?"

"Shit girl, I mean the money, yeah it's hard ta turn away from that much money. I know how upset ya are about your Daddy, that shit the bank is pullin' sucks. And me and Merle, our business has been hurtin' bad. We've had ta let good people go and we're in a jam for cash ourselves. So yeah, fuck yeah, the money would make a lotta things right. But...I dunno girl…"

He was starting to remember some things about the night before, and he clearly remembered those sparkling blue eyes. He remembered how sweet and understanding she'd been when he talked about the business. Especially how hard it was to have to let people go. He admitted to her he felt like a failure and she'd put her soft hand on his cheek and told him he wasn't a failure at all, he was a success for keeping things going like he had. Yeah, she was a real nice person. And pretty, real pretty.

She thought of something and shyly asked him, "Do you have a girlfriend back home?"

"Nah, I ain't the kind ta have a regular girlfriend."

Oh great, he was one of those, and she said it, "Oh, I get it. One of those love em and leave guys, huh?"

He was a little angry at the accusation but also embarrassed to have to admit the truth to her, "Shit, ya really got a high opinion of me, don't ya? It ain't that. It's just, I ain't much of a lady's man. I ain't ever had a regular girl and I ain't even asked anyone out for a beer in forever." Then the irony struck him and he kind of smiled at her, shrugged and said, "I don't mess with datin' and girlfriends and such, I just go right ahead and get married." Then he felt his neck heat up. Shit, he sounded like such a loser.

She felt terrible and she tried to make it up to him, "I'm sorry, that was unfair. I don't even know why I said such a mean thing. I know better, you're a very nice man." Then another thought hit her, "Oh my gawd! Where's home?"

He was thrilled to be on a new subject, any subject, "Home's Georgia, same as you. We talked about that, how my house is just about 25 miles from your apartment." He remembered where she lived because at the time he thought how it wasn't far at all. He'd wanted to think maybe he'd have the balls to ride his bike over to her place sometime, maybe ask her for a beer.

She watched him closely as he spoke. It was endearing how he got a little embarrassed when she asked him about a girlfriend. She was also starting to remember a little more about the night before. He'd been so sweet, there was nothing phony or put-on about Daryl Dixon.

There was no doubt he was a little coarse, and his manner of speaking was definitely backwoodsy. He could use a haircut, and from what she remembered some new clothes. But he'd treated her so nicely. In his own rough and gruff way he'd been, and was still being, a gentleman. Then of course there was that other undeniable truth, he was just plain hot. Maybe this wouldn't be so terrible, maybe they really could pull it off.

She voiced some ideas for a possible arrangement. "I guess we could try to think of ourselves as roommates. I've had roommates before and as long as you're careful about laying out the ground rules, and everyone respects those rules and each other, it can work out fine. How do you feel about that possibility?"

His forehead creased and he was gnawing on the side of his thumb again, while his mind was spinning a mile a minute. He knew it was true that money couldn't buy happiness, but what money could do was get her and him both out of the tough financial jams they were in. "Yeah, I guess it could work out if we're both willin' ta try real hard. Just so ya know though, if we do move in together? I'm mostly a private guy. I like my space. I ain't one for parties and shit like that either."

"I'm fine with that arrangement. I like my privacy too and I'm quiet," she smiled at him when she added, "and I have never thrown a party. Maybe if we just respected each other's space and split the expenses right down the middle, you know, like the rent and stuff, we could make it work. How big is your place?"

"It's three bedrooms and one bathroom. I know it sounds big but the rooms are real small. A course one's my bedroom, and one's where I keep all my campin' and huntin' gear, and the other one's just empty, a spare." She could imagine it already, it was probably an older house and plain as could be. He definitely didn't look like the type who worried about décor.

"You own your house? I just have a small one-bedroom apartment. If we decide to do this maybe I could move in your spare room."

A girl like her would probably take one look at his place and start changing everything. Fixing things up all different. He'd come home from work some night and there'd be houseplants and pictures, scented candles burning, things with flowers on them and stuff. But what the hell? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe it was just what the joint needed.

He was chewing his bottom lip now, giving it a real work-out because she was giving him so many ideas. If somehow this really could work she'd make out and her Daddy wouldn't be homeless. He'd make out and him and Merle wouldn't have to worry about the business. Win, Win and Win.

"Shit, I guess I done a whole lot worse things for a whole lot less. I'm thinkin' yeah, let's go for it. Ya really think we could pull it off?"

"If we both make up our minds to then yes, I think we can. You seem like a good guy. I do remember last night I kept thinking how nice you are." She saw his neck flush again and he really was nice to look at, but dammit, she had to stop. She couldn't let all these little thoughts she was having about him enter into what was supposed to be a business arrangement.

"So what do you think Daryl? Have we decided for sure? Are we doing this?" she felt her tummy churning while she waited for his answer.

He'd never lived with a woman, hell he'd never gotten really involved with a woman. He had no idea what to expect. But he knew he liked this woman. That's when he caught himself, shit, he couldn't be thinking about her that way. This was strictly a business deal. That's exactly what she just said. He had to remember he wasn't the reason she was moving in, it was the money. "Yeah, we're doing this," he nodded.

Suddenly Beth let out a scared-sounding squeal, "Oh my gawd Daryl, now we have to call our families! We have to tell them we married a stranger!"

Daryl just shrugged, "Merle's all the family I got and he already knows."

"Well I have a sister, a brother and my Daddy."

He couldn't help laughing a little, "I heard all about your sister. Last night you was complainin' about her takin' ya ta that male strip joint."

Now her cheeks turned bright pink, "Oh my gawd, did I tell you my whole life story?"

"Nah, just the juicy stuff like that," he teased her. The he could see she was tensing up again and he felt bad about joking that way. He reached across the table and took her hand, "Hey girl, Beth, I's just kiddin'. Ya didn't tell any dark secrets or nuthin'." He realized then what he'd done, he had hold of her hand, shit. He quickly let go. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry Daryl, it was nice. Besides, now that we're married we're going to have to act like a couple in public. That means holding hands and stuff." She looked down at her empty hand, his touch had been nice, warm, reassuring and she already missed it.

They had the same thought, maybe that touching part wouldn't be so bad. They were both trying hard not to think about it but it was undeniable. There was chemistry. After all, if there wasn't they wouldn't be married now, alcohol or not. No one was saying that out loud.

"I have to call Maggie. I'm sure she's worried sick. What am I going to tell her?"

"Shit, I dunno. I ain't an expert at makin' up stories. If Merle was here he could help. He's real good at it."

She swallowed the rest of her champagne and breathed out, "Okay, here goes." She looked down at her phone and saw she had several missed calls from her sister. This was liable to go really badly. Really badly. She steeled herself and tapped the screen. A groggy and hoarse Maggie answered sounding like she'd had a wild night.

Beth was sure her own voice sounded timid and nervous when she quietly said, "Maggie?"

"Bethie! Where the heck are you? Are you okay? You must have really been partying hard last night. What kind of crazy stuff did you get into? Why didn't you call?"

Beth scrunched up her eyes, said a silent prayer and did her best to sound cool when she answered, "You won't believe it Maggie. Heck I still can't believe it myself. I met a guy, a really great guy and well it was the strangest thing. It was like we knew right away we were meant to be, it was kismet. We hung out and talked all night and we realized we're perfect together. We decided not to fight it, we went to a wedding chapel and got married." She felt her stomach roll and hoped to God she didn't lose it right there in front of Daryl.

Daryl hadn't been able to take his eyes off her. What she said sounded kind of good to him, it had him thinking about what if it could have really been that way. Then he hurried and tried to purge those thoughts from his mind. She was just making all that stuff up.

She held the phone away from her ear as Maggie yelled, "WHAT?! If this is a joke, or if it's true, either way Beth you are in SO MUCH TROUBLE."

"Well it's true Maggie and I'm not sorry at all. I can't be sorry because Daryl and I love each other." That raised his eyebrows. Even though he knew it wasn't true he'd never heard a woman say she loved him. It gave him a kind of warm feeling and his stomach felt funny. He told himself it was from all the whiskey.

"Beth Greene, or whatever the hell your name is now, this weekend is supposed to be about ME and MY wedding! You just hijacked everything! You get over here right now and bring Romeo with you!"

He almost interrupted then. He didn't like the way her sister was yelling at her, but Beth seemed to be taking it in stride and he thought maybe the two of them were like him and Merle, at odds at least half the time.

"I'm sorry Maggie but I can't come right now. Daryl and I have unbreakable plans. I'll call soon and I'll explain everything when I see you. I promise I never meant to take the spotlight off you and your big weekend. Everything was just so perfect and we got caught up in the moment."

When she clicked off the phone he looked at her, shook his head a little and said, "Damn you're good. You could do that shit for a livin'."

"It must be that high school drama class I took. And anyway Daryl, you do know we're going to have to keep that kind of thing up from now on, and we'd better be convincing." She looked at him so serious and then asked, "I'm going to hell for sure, aren't I? And it's about to get worse, now I have to call my Daddy."

"Sorry, Baby, I mean Beth. I mean Beth." Fuck him.

She smiled, she kind of liked the sound of that. She didn't plan it or anything, it just happened when her hand slipped over his and she lightly squeezed, "I remember you called me that a couple of times last night. It was sweet, not at all like you were just some kind of player." She was pink cheeked when she shrugged, "It might be good anyway, you know, if you called me a pet name. Just to keep up appearances and stuff." She didn't tell him the part about how much she liked it.

He sort of heard what she was saying but he couldn't really concentrate, not with her hand squeezing his so gently. He wanted to act cool but he heard himself sound all soft and mushy when he said, "Yeah, I'd like that Baby."

Suddenly she looked a little panic stricken as she said again, "Oh my gawd Daryl I just have to make myself do this. I have to call Daddy. If they're doing publicity and stuff and we're moving in together, oh shoot. I better call before he hears about it some other way. He's going to be so angry and disappointed."

"Sorry girl. I wish I could help ya out somehow."

She poured the last little swallow of champagne in her glass, threw it back, looked at her phone, shuddered and tapped the screen. He could see her hands were shaking and her face was as red as her dress. She looked so scared and he felt so bad.

She took one last deep breath, "Hi Daddy! Oh yes everything is fine and we're all safe. Maggie is thoroughly enjoying her bachelorette weekend. Yes, yes you're so right, Glenn is a terrific guy. Imagine him giving her this wonderful little trip and me too! I still can't believe it."

She looked at Daryl and he did his best to nod encouragement and support her way. "You're never going to believe what happened. No, now don't worry Daddy, it's all good, it's perfect. It's just that something happened, something really important and magical Daddy. It's a blessing really."

How many more ways could she sugarcoat what she was so reluctant to tell him, "So what happened is I met a man Daddy, a wonderful man. He's kind and he has a gentle nature and he's thoughtful Daddy, so thoughtful. And Daddy you'll be happy to know he's a business owner and he owns his own home, and guess what? It's only about a 45-minute drive from the farm, isn't that great?"

"I just know God put this man in my path Daddy because he's everything I ever could have wanted, and last night we got married."

She hurriedly pulled the phone from her ear as her Daddy yelled, "What are you talking about Elizabeth?! Is this some kind of sick joke because if it is it's not one bit funny."

"It's not a joke Daddy, it's real and it happened and I don't regret it. I love Daryl and he loves me." There she said it again, that she loved him. He couldn't imagine anything like that ever being true.

Then she pulled the phone from her ear again, her Daddy was yelling more, "You can't possibly know anything about him, you just met! How do you know he's not some kind of lunatic? A serial killer?! You get away from him right now and come home before he hurts you."

Where the balls came from he'd never know but he knew he was sick and tired of hearing her family yell at her, and he also didn't like being accused of shit. He took the phone from her hand and he tried his best to sound reasonable and respectful, "Sir, this is Daryl Dixon. I'm Beth's husband. I just want ya ta know I ain't ever gonna hurt her, that ain't me. I'ma take care of her and it's all gonna work out just fine. I'd appreciate if ya wouldn't yell at her. She don't deserve that. We'll see ya in a couple days and ya can yell at me all ya want."

She smiled, he handed her back the phone and she told her father, "We have to go now Daddy but we'll both see you soon. I love you. I promise, you'll be happy for us." She clicked off, looked at Daryl and whispered "Thank you."

It had all taken it's toll and emotions hit her hard again. The tears started once more, and although they were quiet this time he still couldn't deal with it. He didn't like seeing her so shook.

He got up and walked over by her, squatting down next to where she sat, "Baby, hey Beth, it's gonna be okay. This is some rough shit right now but we're gonna get it all smoothed over, k?" Then he tried to tease her, maybe that would help, "Besides, ya know you're the one who started all this last night when ya sent me over that double shot of jack."

She was smiling while the tears were falling, "No. I remember that part clearly because I was completely sober at the time. You started it when you sent over that Margarita that tasted like it had a whole bottle of tequila in it."

That's when his mind clicked and he knew, that fucking Merle. His brother had to be behind the whole deal.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well we learned a few things and next chapter we'll learn a lot more when we hear Merle's side of the story. In the meantime I'd appreciate you leaving a comment / review. I hope to see you all back here next week for more of Lady Luck. Until then remember, I love ya large and appreciate you so much! xo gneebee


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much! Here it is, in Merle's own words, just what the heck happened that night :) After that we'll spend some time with our favorite couple.

00

**_Merle's Story_ **

_Nobody has ta tell me I'm a troublemaker with a wicked sense a humor. I own that shit. But I swear that's not how this all came about. I thought it was gonna be the best thing ever when it all started last night. Shit, I still think that._

_Anyway, at the beginning of the day all I was thinkin' was that little brother an me would take a little detour and head on over ta Vegas. One lousy night, that's all we had in mind. We got us a room in a flea bag motel on the edge a town and when Daryl was showerin', that's when I seen it. It was a TV commercial talkin' bout this contest type thing that the biggest of the big ass fancy casinos was puttin' on. The French Riviera is the name. I'd heard about it all the way back in Georgia, it just slipped my mind cuz I didn't figure I's ever goin' ta Vegas._

_Anyway, it was gettin' down ta the end of it, "just days left," or some shit like that. Now just cuz I'm an uneducated redneck that don't mean I didn't understand what was goin' on. That shit was some genius marketin', really. They was offerin' a big cash prize, a million fuckin' bucks ta be exact, ta the 5,000_ _th_ _couple ta come in their weddin' chapel durin' this ninety-day time and seal the deal, tie the knot, get hitched. Whatever the fuck ya wanna call it._

_Can ya see the genius there? Half the country would be talkin' about all that money, hell they was even talkin' about it in Georgia. People who could figure out a way ta get there would say "fuck that big ass church weddin' ya got planned darlin', we're goin' ta Vegas and win us a mil."_

_Think about it now, if it's 5,000 couples that means 10,000 people, plus no doubt they're all bringin' at least a couple sets a friends. They all gotta stay in rooms, eat food, drink booze, gamble and go ta them shows and shit. It's a windfall I tell ya. But the biggest thing is the publicity – shit, ya couldn't buy all the talk goin' around about it. That's gold right there._

_So I seen that commercial and I was wishin' I knew a local gal, any gal, ta get hitched to. It'd be worth the gamble, right? It's a gamblin' town. It was gone from my mind though by the time Daryl and me got ta that joint, Cactus Dan's._

_Me and my brother was drinkin' beers and playin' pool when in walks this pretty little blonde in a tight red dress. Right away I seen the look in little brother's eye. The thing about Daryl is, he ain't the kind ta get all fascinated over some babe. This little gal though, she had his full attention. That wasn't all either, it was plain ta see she had that same look in her eye for little brother._

_I still didn't think about the contest though. I'll be real honest bout what I's thinkin'. I's thinkin' ta help little brother get laid, that's all. Nothing wrong with that, right?_

_So I slip up ta the bar an I tell the bartender ta send the little blonde in the red dress over a Cadillac Margarita, with an extra shot a tequila and an extra shot a the Grand Marnier. I tell him ta tell her it's from that guy, and I point ta Daryl. I also tell him ta send little brother over a double shot a jack and tell him it's from the blonde. I give the guy a twenty-dollar tip and he's happy ta do what I ask._

_One thing leads to another, ya know the score, lotsa drinkin'. Pretty soon we're all talkin' and laughin' like we're old friends. Just havin' us a real good time. I'm the only one not drinkin' on accounta I'm keepin' an eye on the situation. Neither one a them kids even noticed what I's doin', or gave a shit for that matter._

_What made me think about the contest was when blondie notices the tats on Daryl's hand and inside his arm there and she says, "I've always wanted to get a tattoo but I'm too afraid."_

_Bein' in a mischievous mood and whatnot, I ask the bartender where's the closest place ta get a tat. It just happens ta be right down the street, next ta the fuckin' French Rivera Casino place. My mind still doesn't go ta the contest though, not til we get ta the tattoo parlor._

_Ya know how they always got them pictures hangin' on the wall showin' the tattoos people get? Yeah, there was a few showin' weddin' band tattoos. That's when my light bulb finally lights up._

_The pretty little blonde don't know what kinda tattoo she wants but she says she loves flowers. I suggest maybe she get a little ring a flowers on her finger. She's still scared though._

_So I tell little brother, "Now Daryl be a gent, show her it don't hurt. Ya get ya a string a little arrows around your finger." Now keep in mind these two are totally and completely shitfaced. I know that's a fact cuz by gawd Daryl don't even argue with me, he does what I tell him to. That don't ever happen when he's sober. Hell, it don't ever happen at all. I tell ya though, the best part is she's holdin' onta his other hand and tellin' him how brave and strong he is while the dude is givin' him the tat. It was all I could do ta keep my big fuckin' mouth shut._

_Then sure enough it's her turn and he holds her hand and fuck yeah, she gets the ring tat._

_From there we go on into the fancy bar at the French Riviera and they keep up the drinkin' and they're talkin', cryin' on each other's shoulders about everythin' from how fucked up the economy is ta her findin' her boyfriend with his hand up some redhead's skirt._

_These two are close I tell ya, it's a fuckin' match made in heaven. So I say, "Ya know you two oughta help each other out. Get married and spend the rest a your lives bringin' comfort ta one another an gettin' laid." I'm a romantic sumbitch, ain't I? Always have been._

_Ya know how people are when they're that fuckin' drunk? Everythin' is a good idea. That was them two. Still, I damn near fell off my stool when they thought that sounded like sumthin' they wanted ta do, and a course I didn't waste no time at all hustlin' them ta that weddin' chapel. And fuck me, no sooner did they say their I Dos than the bells and the whistles and the bullshit started happenin'._

_The hotel folks come and started takin' pictures and then they thought better of it. Them kids was a drunken mess. Anyway, the hotel give them the fancy honeymoon suite. I get little brother a box a rubbers, cuz ya know I'm always lookin' out for him, him bein' my baby brother an all._

_Anyway, I ain't tellin' em all that stuff quite yet._

00

The last of the champagne was gone and the confused, and a little scared and overwhelmed newlyweds, had moved on to the coffee, eggs and pastries. They were trying not to be obvious as they checked each other out. Both desperately wanting to know just what the other was all about. Wondering if they really could live together and keep up an act for a year. They were jarred from their thoughts when just as they were about to push away from the table there was another knock on the door.

Daryl grumbled, "now what hell?" but got up and answered it.

The woman had a happy, even sort of playful grin and when she started talking she didn't let up for a while. "Hello and congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Dixon, my name's Frankie, I'm Carol Peletier's assistant. You may remember meeting her right after your wedding. She's our Marketing Director here at the French Riviera."

"She asked me to apologize for keeping you waiting but a few things have come up that require her immediate attention. Our spa experience is the most indulgent to be found anywhere and while you wait Carol insists you take advantage of it. I assure you it will be an excellent way to pass the time. You have a wonderful day of pampering and relaxation ahead of you." Then she winked and said, "It all starts with our absolutely fabulous signature couple's massage. From there we'll go to styling, hair and makeup. After your day of indulgence, you'll be ready for your publicity shots."

Frankie seemed genuinely excited for the couple, and Daryl could tell by the expression on his new bride's face she was looking forward to whatever the hell a "spa experience" might be. He didn't want to disappoint her, and shit there was that million bucks to think about. He figured he'd just suck it up and see what this spa deal was all about. How bad could it be? And what the fuck was a couple's massage?

Frankie went to the closet of the suite and brought out two fluffy white robes, slippers and two silk bags.

"Here you are. There's one of these lovely personal care bags for each of you. They contain every kind of grooming essential you could want. There's the most delicious smelling shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a brush and a comb. If there is anything you need not included, you just buzz my private line and someone will bring it right up. My number is on this card," and she handed Daryl her business card.

She wasn't done, "The spa asks everyone to shower before their treatments begin. I'm sure you understand why. It's to remove any oils and make up." She smiled and Daryl wondered if she thought they looked too dumb to understand why people take showers. Then she continued, "There are lovely shower facilities offered at the spa itself, but I personally suggest you shower right here. This honeymoon suite has a spectacular dual rainforest shower," then she smiled and winked at the couple again, adding, "with jets that hit in all the right places, if you know what I mean," and again she winked.

The couple was red-faced and thinking about a place to hide when Frankie squealed, "Oh, and I almost forgot! I have something special for you. Here are the photos from your ceremony last night." She dug in her briefcase and handed Beth a large manila envelope. All Daryl was thinking was if she winked at them one more time he was going to ask if she had something in her eye.

"Have fun you two! I'll be back in an hour to get you for your pampering." She smiled and waved and showed herself out.

The honeymooners looked and felt so awkward.

Beth swallowed hard and tried to forget her embarrassment. She didn't really know Daryl well at all but she knew him enough to know he probably wasn't a "spa guy." She took his hand, "I have a feeling what we're going to be doing today is not something you would ever choose to do on your own, not in a million years. I want you to know I would never ask you to, or try to make you do something you hated. Just please, try to think about how it's only this one time and that it's part of this thing we're doing. Most of all I want you to know how grateful I am that you're trying to go along with everything."

He wondered what that was all about. Why she thought she had to give him this big build up, this kind of "pep talk." Did she think he was going to ruin her day? Did he come off as being that mean? He wanted her to understand, "I ain't plannin' on spoilin' this for ya. I could tell when that Frankie woman was explainin' it you was really happy and all. I'm willin' ta give it a shot." He looked down, pursed his lips and then he looked in her eyes, "I been told before that I look mean, and that I sound meaner. Shit, I know I can act mean too. But I'm here ta tell ya girl, I got no desire ta ever be mean ta you."

His words had her feeling emotional again. Had she accidentally married the nicest guy on earth? "I know you're not mean, not at all. You're a really wonderful guy. Thank you Daryl," and she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

After an uncomfortable moment of silence, he grabbed his robe and the silk bag, shrugged and told her, "Welp, I guess I'll go see what all the fuss is about with this shower deal." He glanced at the bag in his hand and added, "And get ta smellin' delicious." His little joke made them both smile and his neck and her cheeks turn pink.

As soon as he shut the bathroom door Beth sat back down. Her head hurt not just from the alcohol but from all the confusing thoughts racing through it. After a minute or two she remembered the envelop. She was so nervous and apprehensive about seeing the photographic evidence of their wedding, but she also couldn't resist.

The first photo showed them holding hands at the altar. They had their heads turned toward a man she was sure must be the minister, and they appeared to be paying very close attention to whatever he was saying. Beth let out a relieved little laugh as she checked out the man who performed the service more closely. He was wearing a nice shirt and tie. She'd been a little afraid they may have gone to one of those Elvis impersonators.

When she flipped to the next picture her eyebrows arched and her hand covered her mouth as she let out a gasp and a deep red blush crept up her cheeks. She may have even felt her tummy do another flip, but this flip was in a good way.

There they were, she and Daryl. They were kissing and there was no way to confuse the kiss with some innocent little peck. It was a full blown make out kiss. And sexy looking. He had one arm around her waist pulling her right to him, while his other hand was cradling the back of her head. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and her chest was pressed so close to his.

Beth lightly touched her fingers to her lips. She desperately wanted to remember the sensation of his lips on hers, and she kind of thought she could. Now that she'd seen the photo she was positive she remembered that although the kiss was deeply passionate, he'd been surprisingly tender. Who would have thought it would be that way?

She was certain she could remember how the little bit of scruff he had tickled in such a seductive way. Just thinking of it made her sigh. The arms, oh my the arms. Those big strong arms around her made her feel so warm and safe.

She was starting to recall more about the moment and the ones that followed. There were balloons and confetti falling, and a loud noise that sounded almost like an alarm going off. She also clearly recalled feeling the sudden tiredness, she was probably ready to pass out by then. She remembered thinking all she wanted to do was get out of there, go somewhere with Daryl and lay down.

That's what they did. There was a lot of hoopla and people all around them as she and her new husband were escorted to their room, the Honeymoon Suite.

Something else came back to her quite clearly, oh my gawd he'd picked her up. He actually carried her over the threshold while she squealed and laughed into his shoulder. He set her down and they held hands as she leaned into him excitedly saying, "Daryl look at this beautiful room!"

She let his hand go and she ran to the plush bed, sitting herself down on the edge and bouncing up and down. Then she threw herself onto the pillows and exclaimed, "This is heaven!" She was pretty sure that was when he crawled up next to her, flopping face down on the pile of pillows. He pressed himself up on his palms, leaned toward her and placed a kiss on the corner of her mouth. He pulled away, made a gigantic yawn and settled in next to her. For a moment, they simply gazed in each other's eyes, then she rolled closer into him.

She sighed as she recalled kissing his soft lips again and then pulling back to look in his eyes. She nervously asked him, "Daryl?"

He grunted a response that she interpreted as, "Yeah Baby?"

She realized now they were so drunk they probably couldn't have done anything if their lives had depended on it, but last night she'd asked him, "Would it be ok if we didn't...you know, do anything tonight?"

His eyes were at half-mast and she was sure he was almost asleep when he responded, "No problem Baby, we got the rest of our lives."

"Okay. I just really want you to hold me," she whispered it softly but his arm had immediately wrapped around her, pulling her right into him. It felt so good. Then he told her, "We also got the rest of our lives for holdin' each other and we will." His words were whispered in such a sleepy and sexy voice, and they were so sweet. She recalled thinking that marrying him was her best idea ever. That's when they must have passed out.

Beth was pulled back in the moment when the bathroom door opened and Daryl exited wearing the cushy white robe.

He smiled when he told her, "Yep, the shower definitely lives up ta the hype," then he stood there shaking his wet head like a big old puppy. He lifted his chin and asked, "Whatcha got there Baby?"

She handed them to him, "These are our wedding photos." She didn't want to see his reaction when he looked at them. What if he seemed miserable? She realized that would hurt. She quickly stood and said, "My turn to check out this amazing shower," grabbed her robe and the silk bag and hurried that way.

He quickly poured himself a big glass of orange juice, sure that it would finally cure the ache in his head. He took a long swallow that reminded him just how shitty orange juice tastes when you just brushed your teeth, then he sat down to check out the pictures.

He was stunned. He was pretty damn sure he'd never kissed any woman that way, but then he'd never gotten married either. He recalled thinking the minute he saw her, when she walked in Cactus Dan's, she was something special.

He remembered a little more about their night together. She'd been so sweet and so encouraging when he told her about the business. She scolded him for taking any of the blame for the decisions they'd had to make, "My gosh Daryl the whole economy is rotten. You should be proud of yourself for managing to keep the business going." He couldn't remember anyone ever talking to him like that, being so nice and so reassuring. It was like she was on his side.

She told him about her own job and the cutback in wages and he'd been glad to know she was getting by okay. Shit, but then she'd told him about her Daddy and his troubles. Man that all just sucked. That fucking S & L. They couldn't wait to loan a guy money, but they wouldn't give him a chance and a little bit of extra time to pay it back.

Oh man and then when she mentioned that no-good boyfriend and the redhead, shit, what kind of a dumb son of a bitch was that guy? He'd been lucky enough to be Beth's boyfriend. Why the hell would anyone screw that up? Daryl knew he sure as hell would never do her that way.

He remembered telling her about the bike trip that him and Merle and Abe had taken, then wondered why he'd bothered to bring it up. She'd probably be bored to tears hearing about it. It surprised him when she said, "Oh my gosh that sounds so fun. I would love to take a trip like that someday." Then she'd put her hand on his thigh and smiled that big pretty smile when she added, "Well not with just anyone, but I would love to go with you."

It made him smile and his chest tightened just thinking about it. Yeah, he remembered telling her he'd take her anytime she wanted to go. He would too. He still meant that.

But this was today and today he woke up to the sounds of her crying and miserable. All those nice things she'd told him were probably just drunk talk. People say all kinds of things they don't really mean when they've been drinking.

Still he remembered how, as they lay on the bed together so wasted and ready to pass out, she'd asked him to hold her. He swore he could still feel how good it was to have her warm little body snuggled right up to his. He'd thought then that he wouldn't mind at all sleeping with her in his arms every night for the rest of his life.

The sound of the bathroom door opening brought him back to reality, none of that was probably ever going to happen again.

"Hey Baby, have a good shower?"

"Oh my gosh yes. It felt so good and I've never enjoyed brushing my teeth more. Can you believe how much we must have drunk last night Daryl? Shame on us."

"Yeah, shame and all, but we had us some fun too, didn't we Baby?"

She smiled so pretty when she answered, "Yeah we did. We had a lot of fun."

They had a moment, a moment when they shared that deep look, right before there was a heavy knock on the door.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That damn door! I hope you enjoyed it and that you'll leave me a comment / review. I'll see you all back here next Friday for more of Lady Luck and a day at the spa. Until then remember, I love ya large and appreciate you very much! xo gneebee :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much! We're going to have some fun at the spa this chapter, but also a serious moment as Daryl shares something very personal. Beth's going to have a mini meltdown and Daryl will step up to try and fix things :)

00

Frankie had no idea how awkward and self-conscious they felt standing there in the fluffy white robes and slippers.

The woman smiled and winked like she knew what they'd been up to, gushing, "You two are such an adorable couple," then held the door open and instructed, "Come on now, follow me for the most deliciously luxurious spa experience of your lives."

Daryl knew it would be the most deliciously luxurious spa experience of his life. He wasn't even 100% sure he knew what the hell they had in a spa or what exactly a person did about it. But right that minute there was something else he was more concerned about, "We're gonna go walkin' around the hotel in bathrobes?"

"Yes but don't worry. You're completely covered up. Anyone we encounter will assume you're on your way to the spa or the pool. Hurry along now, we have a schedule." He was about to protest but Beth took his hand and that made him smile. The smile faded and a little wave of disappointment washed over him when he remembered it was all just acting.

Still he held onto her as they followed the woman named Frankie through the labyrinth of hotel hallways until they reached their destination, the French Riviera Hotel Spa.

He had no idea what to think but when he glanced at Beth from the corner of his eye she looked so happy, and her small hand felt so good in his. He'd made a promise he would do this spa thing with her so he made up his mind then and there, he was going to do his best to just go along with it all. He even admitted to himself it wasn't only for the money. He thought he'd like to try and keep that pretty smile on her face.

They entered a softly lit room where soothing background music played and candles flickered, and there were two women standing in front of a gently flowing waterfall feature. The women were dressed all in white and had friendly, welcoming smiles. Frankie introduced them as the massage therapists. Everything seemed pleasant enough and Beth looked even more excited so he just nodded a hello.

Introductions were made, "Ladies this lovely couple are Mr. and Mrs. Dixon, they're our newlywed winners. Miss Carol wants them to have the complete luxury experience today beginning with a nice relaxing couple's massage."

The taller one replied, "Certainly, we've been expecting you. Please come right this way Mr. and Mrs. Dixon." They followed her through one of the doorways and into another dimly lit room, this one with two massage tables. The tables were set up side by side and just a foot or so apart. Next to each table was a smaller teak table with fresh orchids scattered here and there, bottles of various oils, jars of sugar scrub, and a small oven for heated stones.

In her delight Beth squeezed his hand and cheerfully asked, "Daryl, isn't this beautiful?"

He still didn't know what the fuck was going to happen next, but he was determined to be a sport so he smiled and squeezed back, "It is Baby. I can't wait."

"We'll give you two some privacy while you disrobe. Just slip under the sheet, lay on your tummies and don't worry, we won't get too personal. We'll keep your bottoms covered." The door closed and Daryl and Beth stood uneasily staring at each other, reality had hit.

He spoke first, "K, um, I'll turn my back and I promise I won't look." He turned around and nervously mumbled, "K, go on." He'd been nothing but a gentleman and she had no doubts that he could be trusted. She slipped the robe off her shoulders hung it on the hook and crawled under the sheet. She felt a little tingle go through her knowing she was completely naked in this very romantic setting, with a handsome stranger who just happened to be her husband.

All he could think about was how much he wanted to turn around and take a little peek, but he'd never do that to her. Well not unless she didn't care if he did. In that case he'd be more than happy to look at her naked body for as long as she'd let him. Pfft, sure, like that was ever going to happen.

Those were his thoughts, pleasant and sexy with a hefty dose of reality, until it finally dawned on him when she said, "Okay Daryl, your turn."

He spun around and there she was laying on her tummy with just a thin sheet covering the lower half of her body. Her perfect body. Her skin was creamy white and scar-free and he was sure it must feel warm and silky. He liked everything about it. The body he had a problem with was his own, which wasn't even close to perfect.

He didn't want to tell her and he damn sure didn't want to show her, but shit, he wasn't going to be able to hide it anyway once they were living in the same house. He might as well get it over with right now. He'd just pull the Band-Aid off, hair and all.

"Um, Beth, before I do this I gotta tell ya sumthin'."

The way he said it, the tone of his voice and the nervous way he was biting his lip had her worried, "What? Is everything okay Daryl?"

"Yeah, yeah it's all fine it's just that, well ya got such pretty skin, real soft and smooth lookin' too," He was sure he was bright red and he could see she was, but shit, he was having trouble here. "Well uh, it's just that my skin ain't like that, not at all. Besides havin' some tats, but ya probably figured that, I got a whole shit ton a scars."

She was immediately concerned for him, "Scars? What kind of scars? Oh my gosh Daryl, were you hurt?"

"Oh yeah, it hurt. It hurt plenty. It was my old man. He was a world class asshole."

He'd said it almost matter-of-factly and she was confused, "Your own Dad?"

"Yeah, like I said, asshole. Anyway, I's thinkin' ya probably don't wanna hafta look at em. I could ask if they got a t-shirt I can put on or sumthin'."

"Daryl what kind of person do you think I am? Are you really worried I won't be able to stand looking at you? I can see passed the scars, I can handle it. You're my husband." As soon as the words were out of her mouth she realized what she'd said, but she couldn't take the words back and besides they were true, he was her husband.

He nodded in response as he chewed the side of his thumb, and the pained look on his face told her he was feeling shame. She quickly forgot her own embarrassment. Her thoughts and feelings were focused on him and his feelings. She reached her hand out, "Hey Daryl, c'mere."

He looked kind of awkward and shy as he walked toward her and then took her hand. "Just let me see." She rubbed her thumb along the back of his hand and added, "Hey, the scars aren't you, they can't take away from the good person I know you are. Besides, I'm sure it doesn't look nearly as bad as you think."

He snorted and said, "Nah you're right, it's worse Baby." The truth was, he didn't much care about people seeing the scars, the damn things were just a cold hard truth of his life. He never bothered going out of his way to hide them from anyone, not like he'd done when he was younger. It just felt different with her. It was important to him that she didn't find him disgusting. How could even a fake marriage work if she was repulsed by the sight of him?

He needed to get it over with though. He took in a breath and as he slowly let it out his shoulders slumped, his head nodded and he said, "K, I'ma show ya." He turned his back to her, untied the belt and let the robe slide off his shoulders until it lay just below his slim hips.

Initially all she could focus on was how nice a body he had. Screw the tattoos and screw the scars, they didn't take away from the fact he was built like some kind of Adonis. But there was something more important on her mind. She thought of his feelings and his apparent shame, "Daryl it's awful and I'm so sorry it happened to you. It never should have and it's wrong, but it's not something you did wrong and you shouldn't feel any shame. You know what else, I mean honestly? For me those scars don't detract at all from the reality that you have a really nice body." As soon as the truth came out she felt the fire in her cheeks.

The words were barely out of her mouth and the robe went back up and over his shoulders as he turned and muttered, "pfft, yeah right. Now you're just embarrassin' me." But he was glad he showed her and he appreciated how she acted and what she said. It made the already warm feelings he had for her that much warmer.

"Well it's the truth Honey." Honey? Oh no, she didn't really just call him Honey. Well whatever, he really was a Honey. Still she tried to act like she didn't say it, "Okay, I'll be good. I promise. I'm closing my eyes right now. You get your robe off and get under the sheet and I won't look until you tell me I can." She wouldn't, but man it was going to be a tough promise to keep.

Honey? She called him Honey. He tried not to think too much about that, it was probably just more playacting.

After closing her eyes and coaching herself to be calm and just breath, she could hear Daryl laying himself down.

As the couple wordlessly stared at each other the massage therapists entered and walked to the heads of the tables. The taller one spoke again, "I understand you're newlyweds and you can't take your eyes off each other, but you'll be far more comfortable if you place your faces in the supports. Just relax, close your eyes and enjoy the experience." They were still staring and she smiled and added, "What you can do for a little more intimacy is reach out and touch hands."

Their eyes were still focused on each other and now they'd been given an excuse to touch. They slowly reached across the narrow space, fingers clasping fingers while they put their faces in the supports.

The ladies began their work right at the top, and once he got over his initial embarrassment Daryl managed to enjoy it. He was amazed at how the therapist seemed to know just where to apply pressure to his head to help relieve his still massive headache. The woman's surprisingly strong hands moved down to his neck and he felt the tension in his muscles disappear, then she stopped long enough to rub oil all over his back.

She told him what the oil was called and all the fabulous things it would do for him, but he didn't quite hear her. He was too busy wondering how Beth looked with that oil on her skin. Then he heard his accidental wife make soft moaning noises, and not like she'd been hurt. Like something felt almost too good. It got him thinking about things maybe he shouldn't be thinking about and he must have temporarily lost his mind. He lifted his head from the support, looked over at her and in a low raspy whisper asked, "Feel good Baby?"

Her mind was apparently wherever his was because she raised her head and looking across at him answered, "Mmm yes Honey, it feels wonderful."

The therapists shared a knowing smile as they gently guided the couple's heads back where they belonged.

They were nearly asleep when the most luxurious spa experience Daryl Dixon ever had ended. He wasn't quite ready. As the ladies left the room they told the couple, "Okay, be careful getting up now, we'll be back to get you in just a few minutes."

* * *

They entered another room and Daryl balked when the woman explained that now it was time for their calming facials. His eyes were pleading when he looked to Beth, "Nah, that ain't for men Baby. It can't be." She didn't argue or beg him to go along, she didn't have to. He saw her expression change and those happy blue eyes now looked so sad and disappointed.

The worst was she let him off the hook real easy, "It's okay Honey, I understand."

Shit. "A'ight I'll do it, but if I hate it I'ma get up and go in the other room, k?"

"Yes, of course it's okay Daryl. I don't want you to be miserable."

He'd never admit it, well maybe later to Beth, but as it turned out he kind of enjoyed the facial. Especially the cool compresses on his eyes. He was beginning to think his hangover might actually go away.

Next they sat in a private steam room with their towels carefully wrapped around their otherwise naked bodies, trying hard not to stare at each other. After they'd sweated out all those toxins in the steam room he was shown to the men's grooming area, and she to the women's where they had cooling showers.

Attendants came for each of them and they were reunited in the hallway. He thought they must finally be done. What else could there be? She smiled his way and it must have started coming naturally to him, he took her hand. He thought to himself he was getting the hang of this newlywed stuff. "We done now?" He whispered.

She shrugged in response and then a woman said, "Okay you two, time for your next treatment."

The new person smiled and said, "Please follow me." They were ushered into another room which, unlike every other room they'd been in, was brightly lit. There were upholstered chairs that Daryl thought looked a lot like big recliners, except they had tubs of bubbling water where a guy would put his feet. He looked at Beth and her big eyes were sparkling when she smiled, "We're getting mani pedis!"

"What the fu…heck is a mani pedi?"

She knew she'd better try and sell it, "You'll see Honey, it's going to be wonderful, just like the massage and the facial. Weren't they wonderful?"

He was almost afraid to ask, "Yeah okay, but what's this here?"

"It's a manicure and a pedicure."

"Nah, nah Baby. I went along with the rest of it, but this? This ain't me."

Then she looked at him with those big blue eyes and said, "Please Daryl. Pretty please?"

He shook his head but he sighed and answered, "Yeah okay I guess, but this is the only time I'ma ever be doin' this Beth, and I'm only doin' it for you."

She did it again. For the second time that day she leaned up and kissed his cheek, "Thank you Honey." That just about made whatever the hell was going to happen next worth it.

They were each given a tall glass of detoxifying cucumber water and he waited to watch her take a drink before he tried it. She smiled and promised, "It's good, refreshing."

He gulped down all of his in one swallow and then looked at the large platter between them. It was covered with beautiful fresh fruits, orange segments, sliced kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. He scooped up a handful of the various fruits, popped the whole handful in his mouth at once, barely chewed, swallowed, looked at the woman and said, "None a that polish stuff for me."

Beth bit her tongue to keep from laughing, but she also reached for his hand and told him, "Daryl, you're a very manly guy, and what makes you even more manly to me is how you've been so giving today. I want you to know that sharing this experience with you made it extra special for me. Thank you."

Yep it was all worth it, he smiled back, "You bet Baby." Then he remembered, she was probably acting. Maybe not though. He hoped not.

* * *

With their luxury spa experience complete it was time to get ready for a photoshoot in the chapel, and finally dinner.

Frankie returned for the couple and they were taken to a private and very plush salon area. She explained that they were going to get "freshened up" and the hotel was also providing them with beautiful new clothes for their "official" wedding pictures.

Daryl discovered he was in for a hair, beard and mustache trim, while Beth would be getting her hair done and makeup applied. Bullshit. He was about to protest again, but he remembered how much he needed the money and he kept telling himself he only had to live through another couple days of this stuff. And of course, there was also Beth.

She giggled with delight, "I've never had my makeup professionally applied. Oh my gosh, this is so much fun."

He sat down, shut up and got trimmed.

Now he thought he'd finally get to put his clothes on and grab something to eat. In a manner of speaking he did get to put his clothes on, they just weren't any clothes he would have ever been seen in.

The guy handed him the whole shebang from underwear and socks to the white dress shirt, white slacks and white dinner jacket. Finishing the look were black kidskin dress shoes. Again he thought about saying "no," and then again he thought about her and the million bucks they were going to share. He put on the "outfit" and tried to focus on the good news. He didn't have to wear a tie.

She walked out of her dressing room looking better than a million bucks. She was in a real pretty red dress, but different than the other one she'd. This one was tight on top and cinched at the waist with a full skirt. Somehow the look managed to make her appear both sexy and innocent.

The couple were dressed, coiffed and she wrapped her arm through his as they were escorted back to the place it all began, the French Riviera Wedding Chapel.

00

Carol was about to come down from her offices and talk to the winning couple. She just had a few more details to check on. She was also taking another look at copies of Daryl and Beth's wedding pictures. She smiled at Frankie, "Do you know how lucky we got with these two? We could have wound up with anyone. Beth and Daryl Dixon couldn't be more perfect. A couple of country kids who also happen to be gorgeous. We hit the jackpot Frankie. Mark my words, this story is going to make headlines all over the country."

"I'm sure we'll see a clip on tomorrow night's evening news, and I've already heard from People Magazine, Entertainment Tonight and the local news." Her smile spread, "Forget the good news story of the year, this is the good news story of the decade. If we'd spent that million dollars running ads it still wouldn't buy the kind of publicity this story is going to generate, and we're going to milk it for all we can. The board of directors will find out they made the right decision when they trusted me with this."

Her smile was wide and her eyes sparkled when she said, "Now, let's go talk to the lovebirds."

* * *

When they entered the chapel there were pink, red and white flowers everywhere, soft candles glowed, music played and instead of a suit and tie the minister, or whatever he was, was wearing a clerical collar.

Daryl was checking out the room when he spotted his brother standing in the corner. Merle was all slicked up and dressed in a dark suit, and just the sight of him pissed Daryl off. He raised an angry voice, "Merle you…" as he walked toward him with Beth still on his arm.

Merle held a finger to his lips and when Daryl got close enough he whispered. "Hey man they wanted me here, remember you're the happy couple and I'm your lovin' brother. They even put me up in a room here at the hotel, a course it ain't as fancy as the one you and the little woman got. Hell, and just look at me, they even dressed me all up and said I's gonna get a picture with ya."

He turned to Beth adding, "They was tryin' ta find your sister too little one, but it turned out her and her friends couldn't quite get it together. They was all drunk as skunks."

Daryl felt like throwing a punch but he was aware he had a job to do. He'd wait and kill Merle later. Besides, he had a bigger concern, he'd felt her body kind of slump. His arm went around her waist and he whispered, "Hey now, it'll be alright."

He turned back to his brother and his voice took on a hard edge as he asked, "Where's my pickup and the bikes?"

"They're here too. They give me a special underground parkin' spot. Everythin's cool brother, all good."

Daryl might have argued with that statement if Carol hadn't arrived and reintroduced herself, "You probably don't remember me. There was so much excitement last night it was hard to keep track of everything going on." It was a statement that Daryl, Beth and Merle all took for what it was, a very nice way of saying the couple was too drunk to remember her.

She pulled a sheaf of paper from her briefcase and smiled, "You signed these contracts last night but I'm going to ask you to look them over one more time. Please just initial and date all the places where you signed."

"I gotta sit down n have a look at all this," Daryl muttered. He wasn't sure what he was checking for but he thought it seemed like a good idea.

Carol's smile looked a little strained, like something in the contract might change their mind. Still they were shown to a small office and seated at a table with the papers. Daryl looked them over, not really reading them all too closely, then he handed them to Beth who did the same.

She looked at him and shrugged, "It seems to be just what Merle told us Honey, we have to really 'be' married. Live together, be seen together, stay together. All of it for the next year." Then she smiled, "That won't be hard at all, will it?"

He shook his head no, but then held her gaze for at least a full minute before he asked, "You sure bout this?"

"Yes, I'm sure, are you?"

He pursed his lips, nodded and then turned to the papers and initialed and dated all those places where he'd drunkenly scribbled his name the night before. He slid the papers across the table to her, handed her the pen and nervously smiled, "Okay Baby, last chance ta back out."

"I'm not going to back out of anything Mister Dixon. I'll take my chances on a year with you." Her words caused a proud smile to spread across his face.

Beth was no sooner done signing than Frankie walked in the room, took the papers and cheerfully escorted them to the chapel. That's when the photography session began.

The newlyweds never could have guessed what was in store for them. They thought it was going to be a few quick pictures and that would be that. No, this was an elaborate photo session with special lights set up and all kinds of fancy camera equipment and accessories.

They were posed every which way. They stood together with the preacher, then they stood together arm and arm, the guy took a picture of just their tattooed hands, they stood with her arms lightly resting on his shoulders while his rested on her hips. They even stood with Merle.

It seemed like the photographer needed a million pictures of every pose, and he'd stop everything while he moved her chin up a quarter inch or Daryl's hand over half an inch.

Daryl could feel himself getting more and more pissed off. He wanted to tell them all to go fuck themselves, he might have if he didn't think Beth was about to lose it. She was looking shook and tears had begun to sparkle in her eyes. She'd been having so much fun earlier and now they'd upset her. He nearly growled out the words, "Alright, that's enough for now. We need a minute here."

He was running solely on instinct when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and walked her over to the far corner, away from the people and away from the equipment. He rested his cheek on hers so he could whisper in her ear, "What's wrong Beth? Are ya just tired or did ya change your mind? Tell me Baby, it's alright, we'll just split if that's what ya want." Then he teased, "Shit, it's only a million bucks. That's chump change for a couple high rollers like you n me, right?"

He managed to get a soft laugh from her and she whispered back, "It's not you Daryl, it's them. Everyone is touching us and poking at us and telling us we have to look a certain way and I'm just so tired. All I want to do is get something to eat and go to bed. Don't they have enough pictures for gosh sake?"

"I'ma take care of it."

He drew back, took his fancy new handkerchief from his breast pocket, wiped the tears from her cheeks, smiled and handed it to her, "Here, you'll feel much better if ya blow your nose on this hundred-dollar silk square."

He took her hand, walked over to Carol and laid it out, "We haven't eaten since breakfast, my wife needs dinner n some rest. She's tired and hungry and so am I. Let's wrap this thing up."

Carol nodded, relieved it wasn't something that was going to screw up her carefully thought out promotion, "Certainly. We just need a picture of your first kiss as a married couple, then we have a lovely dinner planned."

Daryl felt like a hunk of lead dropped in his belly, and he was sure his bride must feel the same when Carol took out the photo of their kiss from the night before and said, "All I want you to do is recreate this sweet and very romantic kiss, then we'll be done."

He was more than willing but he looked to Beth and she could read the question in his eye. She nodded "yes" and he told Carol, "Okay but let's hurry n do this so I can get my wife sumthin' ta eat."

He tried to make it look as if he were just giving her a reassuring hug while again he rested his cheek on hers again and whispered, "If ya want we can just pretend."

She whispered back, "No that won't look right. Let's just do this."

He could feel the nervous little smile on his lips when he whispered, "Alright, you asked for it Baby."

One arm circled her waist and pulled her to him, while his other hand moved up until it cradled the back of her head and his fingers tangled in her curls. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her chest was against him while their lips were pressed together, tongues in each other's mouths and for a moment they forgot they were acting. They forgot there were others in the room. Then lights began to flash and the photographer said, "Perfect. I got it. That's a wrap."

Daryl didn't want to stop kissing his bride and his bride didn't want him to, but the intimacy and romance of the moment had been broken.

He drew away from her and as they looked in each other's eyes he pulled her close again and whispered in her ear, "This actin' stuff ain't hard at all."

She started to giggle and whispered back, "Thank you for making them stop Daryl, and that was a very nice way to end it."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the spa day, and the kiss. Please leave a comment / review. I hope to see you all back here next Friday for more of Lady Luck and Daryl and Maggie's first meeting. Until then remember, I love ya large and appreciate you all so much! xo gneebee


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone! I believe we all agree, Daryl was a real sport about the spa experience. I think he kind of liked it. This chapter they get a little alone time, Beth gets a big shock when she turns on the TV, and Daryl meets Maggie and her friends.

00

As it turned out the restaurant scene was as bad as the chapel, maybe worse. Neither of them could eat with the photographer constantly snapping pictures, and it wasn't just the photographer. It was all the other diners. It seemed they all had a phone or camera out shooting pictures. After 20 minutes Beth hit the wall again and she could tell Daryl had too.

She could hear his stomach growling and hers was almost as loud as his, she could also see how tense he was getting. When a smiling Carol came to their table and asked how they were enjoying dinner, Beth kept her voice low while telling the woman honestly, "I'm sorry but we're not enjoying it. I think we'd prefer a more private dinner, just my husband and me. Please, we'd like to go. We'll order room service."

Part of what Carol had to do was make sure this couple looked happy and in love when they were in public view. They weren't looking happy in that moment. Since there were already so many good photos Carol went along with the request. "That sounds lovely. So you know, we'll be sending breakfast to your suite at seven in the morning. We start filming the commercial at eight a.m."

That's when Beth could feel Daryl's body go rigid. She thought quickly and took a chance on something, "I'm sorry," She smiled as she wrapped her arm through Daryl's and gave him a loving look, "We have plans in the morning. It's part of my wedding present from my husband. He promised to take me on a motorcycle ride. We won't be back until noon."

His body seemed to relax instantly, and the sweet happy look he gave her made her glad she'd spoken up.

00

They got to the room to find her suitcase and his duffle bag waiting for them there. "Oh thank goodness. I can't wait to put on my p.j.'s. Will you order us something to eat Daryl, please? Whatever you want I'll have the same thing."

While she grabbed what she needed from the case and slipped in the bathroom, he dialed 5 for room service. "Yeah, we need three double cheeseburgers with bacon and we want fries with all those. Let's see…a six pack a beer," He smiled, "A bottle of champagne, and whaddya got for dessert?" He listened and said, "Yeah that, what ya said about that hot chocolate cake. Thanks."

He didn't know what he expected but when she came walking out of the bathroom he smiled at the sight of her. She'd washed off all her makeup and she was wearing flannel pajama bottoms that sat just below her bellybutton, and a little t-shirt that landed just above her bellybutton, and some kind of fuzzy slippers. "Ya look cute Baby, and a lot more comfortable." Shit, now he was telling her she was cute. But dammit, she was.

They smiled shyly and she asked, "How about you? I bet you want to get out of that suit."

"Hell yeah I do, be right back."

He carried the duffle to the bathroom and no sooner had he come back than room service was at the door. For once she didn't mind the interruption. While her husband was busy with the waiter she had time to shamelessly admire how good the man she accidentally married looked. He was wearing flannel pajama bottoms that seemed to barely be hanging onto those narrow hips. That was all.

As soon as the waiter left Daryl asked, "Do ya mind I ain't wearin' a shirt? I don't usually bother around the house."

"No, if that's the way you usually walk around the house I should probably get used to it."

That's when reality hit them. They hadn't had the time to completely think this all through. There had been so much excitement, drama and pressure, and so many things to do and decisions to be made. Now that they were taking a moment for themselves, and it was calm and quiet, they began to see the reality of their situation. There was going to be a huge learning curve while they got to know each other.

She knew absolutely nothing about the way he lived his life. Not from the littlest of things like whether he was a morning person or a night owl, and if he preferred cereal or eggs for breakfast. To the really big and important stuff. Like where his moral compass pointed and if he lived a less than conventional lifestyle. And what about women? He never said he didn't see women, he just said he'd never had a regular girlfriend.

His thoughts were all over the map. He hadn't lived with a woman since his Mama died when he was eight. He had no idea what to expect. Would she be gone all the time shopping at the mall, or on the phone for hours like he'd heard guys complain about? Was she messy around the house or fussy about how it looked? Was she always this nice or was she just on her best behavior? But his biggest question was, what about men?

For now though, they were just winging it.

They sat at the table and he apologized, "I only got ya one burger. I didn't think ya look like you can eat two."

She smiled, "They're huge, we'll see if I can even eat one. What am drinking, beer or champagne?"

"Whatever one ya want."

"I think I'll go with champagne. I'm not sure how beer mixes with chocolate cake."

"I got no idea either but I'ma find out tonight."

He opened the champagne and poured her a glass then popped the cap on a bottle of beer for himself. They "clinked," he toasted, "Here's ta us," and they smiled as they each took a drink.

* * *

After their meal and the drinks they were more exhausted than ever. Their heads turned that way and they stared at the big bed. She shrugged, "We managed last night."

They'd had a very long couple of days and they were physically and emotionally exhausted as they lay side by side, with one of the big king-sized pillows lying vertically between them.

He yawned loudly as he laid his arm on the pillow and asked, "Hey, where's your hand?" She laid her arm on the pillow next to his and he took her hand, he had something to tell her, "Thanks for sayin' that about the bike ride and all. It's sumthin' I need ta do. I just gotta get away from this place and these people for a while, try'n clear my head. I know you're as mixed up about everythin' as me. It'll do us both good ta get out."

"You mean you're taking me? I really get to go?"

"Hell yeah I'm takin' ya. Ya think I'ma leave ya here alone? Shit, we just got married." They laughed softly before quickly falling asleep, still holding hands and wondering what the hell the future had in store for them.

00

The morning got off to a much smoother start than the previous morning.

It wasn't quite nine when they'd fallen asleep so by six they were beginning to stir. They were briefly startled by the sight of each other, he broke the awkward silence, "Mornin'. Ya ready ta go ridin'?"

She smiled back, "Good morning. Sure I am. Can I have a shower and some coffee first?"

"Yeah, yeah and what's-her-name said breakfast is comin' at seven. Ya go on ahead n shower. I'll see if I can work that fancy coffee machine and make us a cup."

Before she turned to go she asked, "Are you always so nice?"

He didn't know quite how to answer, he just shrugged and said, "I guess ya bring it out in me. Go on now, shower up."

She grabbed her things from the suitcase, turned and started walking toward the bathroom, then stopped. She was seeing the evidence more and more, he was very kind and thoughtful and he didn't even realize it. With a smile on her face and one in her voice she looked back at him, "Thank you Daryl."

The suite had a large bar area equipped with a fancy coffeemaker and as he was checking it out he mumbled, "The fuck is this…some engineer's wet dream?" But by the time she came out of the bathroom he had it down, "Here's your coffee. One sugar, two cream, right?"

"You remembered and it's delicious. Thank you Daryl."

The way she looked now had him thinking, if this was her everyday look he wasn't going to mind one bit. She had on tight jeans, a snug t-shirt and short boots. She hadn't put on a bit of makeup and that was fine with him. He thought she looked prettier without it, and he also liked the ponytail. "Ya got a jacket of any kind?"

"I have a denim one."

"Yeah good. When we go ya best bring that." His coffee was done brewing and he took it with him, "If you're finished in the bathroom I'ma head that way. It don't take me long."

"All done."

She looked around for a minute, finally feeling well enough and rested enough to take in the huge suite and all of its amenities. There was an enormous wall-mount TV and without giving it much thought, she picked up the controller and pressed "on."

The Vegas Morning News had just begun and when she heard their names she almost dropped her coffee. The glamorous-looking morning news "personalities" were gushing all over themselves about the "Millionaire Newlyweds."

Her mouth hung open when they showed the wedding photos from the night before, including the "kiss" picture. There were pictures of them at dinner too and even one as they exited the spa in their bathrobes. "When the heck did they take that?" she mumbled to herself. Then they showed an "exclusive" amateur video someone in the restaurant had taken and she quietly muttered, "Oh for gawd sake."

She was embarrassed, anxious and grateful Daryl wasn't there to see it. She was afraid he'd be angry. She wasn't going to try and keep it from him, that would be both unfair and impossible. She just hoped maybe if she broke it to him a little more gently it might go down easier.

She turned the TV off and sat worrying what it would all mean. What must their friends and her family back in Georgia think? Things had suddenly become a lot more complicated and she was glad they'd be getting out of sight for a while.

She was trying to think of the best way to tell him when there he was, hair all wet, a smile on his face and looking very much like a biker.

He was wearing a tight black t-shirt that showed off his broad chest and shoulders, and she liked the way it was almost a little too tight around his biceps. He wore dark jeans, a wide studded black belt and black motorcycle boots. The icing on the cake for her was the black leather vest complete with a set of angel's wings sewn on the back. Everything about the way he looked said he was one hot badass.

"I feel a lot more comfortable than I did in all them other clothes," he remarked.

"I don't know Daryl. I wouldn't want to have to do that every day, but it was kind of treat for me to play dress up. And I know it wasn't that way for you, but I sure loved that spa day."

"I ain't plannin' ta ever go to a spa again but it was alright an I'm glad ya had fun."

Then he picked up on it, something was off with her. "What happened? Is something wrong?"

She realized then it would be impossible to try and keep things from this man, he was far too intuitive. Her voice had a nervous quiver as she began to speak, "When you were in the bathroom I turned on the TV."

She looked so upset and he was worried. He loosely wrapped his fingers around her upper arm as he asked, "Hey, Baby, what the hell happened?"

She spit it all out at once, "It was the morning news Daryl and we were on it, they showed all the pictures from last night in the chapel and the restaurant, there was even one of us in our bathrobes. There was some video someone took during dinner too. It was just…I'm so sorry."

"Why the hell should you be sorry Beth? You didn't do nuthin' and it ain't your fault." She waited to hear what he'd say next as he rubbed his chin and the scruff of facial hair, thinking. "It's like Merle said, damn I hate it when he's right, but yeah, it's the publicity stunt part a all this. Shit, I got a feelin' this is just the beginnin' Baby."

That thought didn't ease her concern, "They were making such a big deal out of it I just know it'll be on the morning news all over. Guess who watches the morning news? My Daddy. He's not going to appreciate seeing a photo of his daughter in a bathrobe on his TV. Oh my gosh, and the kiss."

"How old are ya? Shit, I'm married to ya and I don't even know that."

"And I don't know how old you are. We're crazy. Two crazy people came to Vegas and found each other. Then what did we decide? 'Hey we're both crazy, let's get married.' Sheesh. Anyway, I'm 23. How old are you?"

He wasn't being a smart ass, he looked honestly baffled when he replied, "I'm 30. So if you're 23 then what's got me confused, an it could just be me cuz I wasn't raised in a regular way, but if you're an adult with your own job and a place ta live, then why is it Daddy's business what ya do?"

She smiled at him, "Well in a way you're a hundred percent correct. The problem is, I'm a southern farm girl. I'm single and that sort of makes him in charge. It's not like I don't live my own life but I try to be respectful of his, well his beliefs I guess."

He wasn't sure what else to do so he held her, "Hey, guess what Baby? Ya ain't single no more. I'll talk ta your Daddy just like I said I would. As soon as we get outta this fuckin' town and get back home it'll all go away, quiet down. It's like ya said, we're the flavor of the day." He drew back and smiled, "I'm hungry."

She started to laugh and her tension eased. She laid her hand on his cheek when she said, "I started this conversation wanting to break it to you gently, you ended up being the one to comfort me."

Then it dawned on him and he asked, "He don't ever hurt ya does he? Your Daddy?"

If she hadn't seen his scars she may not have understood where that question came from, but she did realize so she smiled and assured him, "No Daryl, I promise. Never. He's just cranky and overprotective."

They were sharing another one of "those" looks when there was a knock on the door.

He grumbled as he walked that way, "I answered the fuckin' door more in the last 24 hours than I have my whole damn life."

Breakfast had arrived and it was just as lavish as the day before, but this morning they didn't drink the champagne. He put it in the bar refrigerator for later. She smiled at the food and then at him. This was a chance to learn a little something about this man she'd accidentally married, "I can't even imagine people eating like this every day. Do you eat a big breakfast Daryl?"

He shrugged, "I dunno, not like this but I fix myself breakfast every mornin'."

"Really? What do you fix?"

"Oh ya know the usual stuff, eggs, bacon or ham and grits."

"So you know how to cook?"

He smiled, "If you're thinkin' ta divide up chores I'm happy ta cook for ya. I ain't too bad so long as all ya ever wanna eat is breakfast, a cold meat sandwich, fried or barbecue meat and potatoes. That's all I know."

"Well that sounds like quite a bit, maybe we can take turns, or it might be fun if we cook together."

He was interested and curious, "Yeah? Whaddya like ta cook Baby?"

She took a bite of cantaloupe as she thought about it for a minute, and answered, "I would probably add some salads, vegetables and fruit to that meat and potatoes diet you're on," She smiled at him and added, "Growing up on a farm I learned right from the start all about working in the kitchen, especially during harvest season. We had a lot of people to cook for then. I can pretty much fix whatever you want, well not gourmet food. I'm a cook not a chef."

"Ya know how ta make biscuits?"

"Oh yes, I've made hundreds of biscuits." She knew by the smile on his face she'd probably be making a lot more over the coming year.

It was an innocent topic, nothing too personal, and he wanted to know more about her too, "Whaddya usually eat for breakfast Beth?"

She laughed because it was so different than his usual, "I like plain yogurt with a little honey drizzled in and maybe some blueberries or raspberries." The face he made had her laughing harder, "Don't worry Honey, I won't expect you to eat any."

He was laughing too when he said, "Thank gawd. I got a little scared."

It was then it dawned on her, "Oh crap Daryl, I just thought of something. My sister and I have a flight home this afternoon and I haven't even seen her since I left the…oh that male review thing." He liked the way her cheeks got red when she said it.

"If ya want we can stop by her hotel and talk ta her on our way." Although he tried to sound matter a fact, that was one of the last things he wanted to do. Just maybe though, it was better to meet the sister today and then have a couple days off before he met her Daddy.

"Really Daryl? You're sure you don't mind?"

"Nah, it's fine. We'll stop. If it sounds good ta you I's thinkin' maybe we'd ride out ta see Hoover Dam this mornin'. It's only about 40 minutes from here but we could do some more ridin' around when we get out that way."

"That sounds awesome to me. I'll just text Maggie and let her know we're coming by. That way I don't have to listen to her yell at me on the phone _and_ when I get there."

He got very serious, leaving no room to doubt he meant what he said next, "Ain't nobody gonna yell at ya Beth, not when I'm around. There was too much a that shit goin' on yesterday."

She wasn't sure how to respond to that. She was grateful to him for wanting to look out for her, but she didn't want him and Maggie getting in some big fight. She could take being yelled at to avoid it. She assured him, "It doesn't bother me, she'll get over it."

"Nah, it ain't ever gonna be alright for anyone ta yell at ya." She didn't argue, she'd just wait and see what would happen. Then he got a sneaky looking little smile, "Now I'ma call Merle and I hope I wake his ass up from a deep, deep sleep and the best damn dream a his life. I gotta find out where the bikes are."

* * *

They were supposed to meet Merle in the lobby, but before they ever saw him they were surrounded by people taking pictures and wanting pictures with them. It was nerve-racking and they weren't sure what they were supposed to do. For once Daryl was glad to see his brother show up. Merle hollered a couple of times, managed to run everyone off, and the three of them hustled to the parking garage.

Daryl and Beth were both a little shook by their experience, they hadn't expected that level of crazy attention. Merle didn't seem bothered by it all. But he was looking like he'd had a rough night and very little sleep. Still he managed that big old grin and said, "Hey, I heard about ya goin' ridin' today," and he couldn't help himself, he had to tease, "Ya want me ta tag along n keep y'all company?"

"Fuck you Merle."

Beth couldn't quite get the way these men spoke to each other and yet neither of them seemed to get angry about it. Even now Merle just laughed, "Now brother, be nice in front a your wife. 'Sides you're gonna miss me. I'm leavin' this afternoon soon as y'all get back. I'm drivin' the pickup and bikes home."

"Whaddya talkin' about?"

"I had a few drinks with Frankie last night when she got off work an she give me the rundown. They're sendin' the two a you home tomorrow the fancy way, big ol jet airplane and you're goin' First Class. I'm sure they'll be takin' plenty a pictures. She says ya got a limo ta the airport and a limo pickin' ya up in Atlanta and drivin' ya all that way back ta Smithon." He was laughing when he added, "It must be nice ta be rich."

Daryl was focused on one part in particular of what his brother said, "Damn you Merle, are you messin' around with that woman?"

"Now brother, we was just two lonely people havin' a little fun is all. No harm in that is there? Anyway, I'll be home with the bikes a day or two after y'all. Ya call me if ya have any trouble."

Daryl was shaking his head like he was disgusted with the man, but they locked fists, bumped shoulders, clapped backs and said almost simultaneously, "See ya brother."

Merle smiled at Beth and said, "Ya have ya some fun today little one. This brother a mine, he'll take good care of ya. Ya got ya the sweet one."

Daryl flipped his brother off, then put his helmet on her. Like he knew it would be, it was a little too big. "We'll find a WalMart or sumthin' around here an get ya one. When we get home that's when I'll get ya lined out right."

"Lined out?"

"Yeah, ya know fixed up with everythin' ya need, and not the cheap shit either. Good stuff. We got some real nice lady's helmets at the shop and you're gonna need a leather jacket and some good ridin' boots, cool shades too. All of it."

"Honey you don't have to get me all that."

"Yeah I do Baby. Ya married a biker, you're gonna be ridin' with me a lot." He paused and chewed on the side of his thumb a little before adding, "I mean if ya wanted to."

"Of course I want to."

He was smiling when he said, "Lemme go ask that valet guy, he'll know a place that's close."

She took his arm, "Um, wait um," even though she was embarrassed to ask she just so curious, "Daryl, Honey, do you think Merle and Frankie were, you know, really together, like um, you know, together last night?"

He shrugged, "If Merle had his way they were, and if Merle didn't get his way he wouldn't a been so damn cheerful this mornin'." They both got a little red and he turned and hurried to the valet stand.

* * *

She kept Daryl in sight as he walked in that direction, watched as the valet took a picture with him, and then he was back and on the bike holding out a hand to help her. When she got settled in behind him he told her, "Ya just set your hands on my waist or hips. If ya get scared or there's trouble nudge me, I'll pull over." He fired it up, turned his head to the side a bit, nodded and took off.

Setting her hands on his waist didn't seem like quite enough, instead she wrapped her arms around him, pressed her body close to his, smiled to herself and held on tight. He didn't mind, not at all. It felt good to have this pretty woman riding with him and holding onto him that way. Then he reminded himself, maybe it wasn't because she wanted to hold him. Maybe she was just scared or something.

At the superstore they had to get around a few people wanting pictures, but once he got her fixed up with a decent helmet they were out of there and on their way.

When they arrived at Caesar's Palace he pulled up to the valet stand, pulled his helmet off and asked the guy, "Yeah man can I just park the bike here? Maybe over in that shady spot? We ain't gonna be long."

The valet had a big grin on his face, "I know who you two are, you're the millionaire newlywed people from over at the French Riviera. Yeah, yeah, park it where you want. I'll keep an eye on it." Daryl and Beth looked at each other as they realized, there was probably going to be some of this everywhere they went.

It was worse when they went inside. A woman let out a shriek and yelled, "It's them! It's the millionaire newlyweds." Beth grabbed his hand and they hurried to the elevator.

"Shit Baby, it's gonna be rough for a while, ain't it?"

She shrugged, "I don't know Daryl, maybe. But remember, like we keep telling each other, we're just the flavor of the day. All this will die down soon. We'll go back to being nobodies."

"I can't wait."

They got off at the eleventh floor and started walking down the hallway, and with every step they took he could swear he saw her getting more and more tense. "Hey Baby, c'mon now. She's your sister. It's gonna be alright."

"I just can't deal with all the drama. You're right Daryl, I'm an adult. Can't my family just be happy for us? Merle seems happy."

"Merle's a dumb ass, but yeah."

"Daryl, that's a mean way to talk about your brother."

"Nah, he knows he is, he'd tell ya the same thing."

She smiled and shook her head, "You two."

Then her smile faded, "This is the room." She stood there just staring at the door and looking anxious, Daryl reached in front of her and banged on it. Seconds later it flew open and there was Maggie.

"Beth Greene get in here, and you too," she yelled.

That was all it took but he kept his voice calm when he told her, "Hey now, ya must be Maggie. I'm Beth's husband, Daryl Dixon. Don't yell at my wife that way, alright? I don't care for it and I ain't gonna stand for it."

He held his hand out to shake while Maggie stood looking stunned. She wasn't giving up quite that easy though, but she was somewhat subdued. "Good then maybe you can explain just how the hell this happened."

"I heard Beth tell ya, we met Friday night and it was one a them things where we just knew. I figured there was no sense puttin' it off and I asked her ta marry me. She said yes and we didn't wait."

Maggie wasn't the only women in the room. There was a large table set up with breakfast and there were four other women, still wearing their pajamas, seated around it. At the moment they were staring slack jawed at the three people standing in the doorway, except for one of them. A blonde stood and walked toward the three.

She wasted no time wrapping one of her arms around Daryl's, and with her other hand she started rubbing his bicep as she practically purred, "Nice to meet you Daryl, I'm Andrea. Why don't you c'mon in and sit with us."

Beth eyes were wide. She wanted to say something to the woman, but even if she could have she wouldn't have had a chance. Daryl immediately pulled his arm away and in a stern voice told the blonde, "Hey now Miss, don't be doin' that. I'm a married man. No one touches me that way 'cept my Baby."

It was just that simple. With those words he'd won Maggie over, at least for the time being, Beth was proud, grateful and feeling warm all over, and Lori, Karen and Rosita were smiling ear to ear. They'd all seen Andrea in action. She seemed to be very attracted to other women's husbands and boyfriends. It was a real special treat to see a man back her down.

Andrea but she played it off as well as she could, "Oh now I didn't mean anything by it. I was just being friendly."

"Uh huh." Was all he said to her, then he looked at Maggie, "Have ya seen the news, do ya know what's goin' on?"

"Oh my gawd yes, is it true? I can't even believe it!"

"Yeah it's true an we can't believe it either. Anyway, Beth won't be flyin' back with y'all this afternoon, we gotta make a commercial. I hear they're gonna be flyin' us back home tomorrow. We'll call ya when we get settled, have ya over an we can all talk. How's that?"

Maggie had calmed down but she was still upset, "You know this was supposed to be my big weekend Daryl."

"Yeah I know, and I'm sorry if ya think we spoiled that. We didn't mean to. Sometimes ya just can't wait." He smiled, wrapped an arm around Beth's shoulders and kissed the top of her head, "I'ma take my wife on a bike ride now. We'll see y'all in Georgia."

"A bike ride?" Maggie asked.

"Motorcycle. You ladies have a safe trip home." He looked at Beth and asked, "Ya ready Baby?"

"Yes, I am Honey."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it, please leave a comment / review. I hope to see you all back next Friday for another chapter of Lady Luck. Our couple will get a huge dose of reality from Carol when they discover just what they signed up for, and finally we head home to Georgia. Until remember, I love ya large and appreciate you all so much! xo gneebee


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much! We pick up just as our couple have left Maggie's room. Lots going on this chapter. The newlyweds talk about something important that's worried them both, they get freaked out by "admirers," Carol informs them what they signed up for and finally, they head home to Georgia. xo

00

There was no one else in the hall. It was just the two of them so there was no reason to keep up the act, yet she reached for his hand. He looked at her and when she smiled up at him he smiled back while squeezing gently.

They didn't speak, they simply enjoyed the few minutes of quiet time with no one around telling them what to do next, and no one taking pictures. Neither of them minded the touching.

* * *

He was so damn glad to be on the bike and headed out of town, with her right behind him and holding on tight. They'd just cleared the city when she nudged his back. He was concerned and as soon as it was safe he pulled the bike over and turned off the ignition. She put her hands on his broad shoulders for balance and climbed off, he was off seconds after her.

She removed her helmet and he hurried to pull his off as he started to ask, "What's…" that's all he got out before her arms were wrapped around his waist and her head was laying on his chest. She was squeezing hard and he became more concerned. He wasn't sure what to do so he simply cupped her elbow and tried to pull back enough to look at her when he asked, "Baby what's wrong? What happened Beth?"

She leaned back to meet his gaze and told him, "Nothing's wrong Daryl, everything's right. I just have to tell you something and it wouldn't wait any longer." Despite her saying things were good his brow was creased with worry. Then she softly smiled and said, "It's everything that just happened in my sister's room, it was so perfect. You were perfect. The way you spoke up to Maggie was just right. I couldn't believe how you got her to calm down without some big fight."

Her smile was wider and her cheeks tinged with pink when she added, "But what you said to Andrea, that was the best thing I've ever seen or heard. Thank you so much for that."

He got a very serious look on his face. Ever since they'd decided to go through with this thing, questions about her possibly wanting to see other men had been getting to him. He thought that now might be the time to her try and get up the balls to ask her. But first he said, "I didn't do nuthin' special. That Andrea chick was way outta line. She shouldn't a been touchin' me or talkin' ta me that way, and shit Baby, she done it right in front of ya. The fuck was all that about?"

"It's awful, I don't know why she's that way. I don't know why my sister thinks she's a friend. Every woman in that room has seen Andrea act that way. I don't get why they keep hanging out with her." She smiled at him again and told him what it meant to her, "You were great Honey. What you said, the way you made it so clear you were with me and you weren't interested in playing her game. You made me feel special Daryl."

These things weren't coming easy for him but he wanted her to know how he felt and what was important to him. "Ya are special Baby, and she was disrespectin' ya. I ain't gonna put up with that." He wasn't done. He'd gotten that part out and he thought now was as good a time as any for his big burning question, "Tell me what you're thinkin' Beth. Ya know, cuz a the way things happened with you n me, do ya think we can both just do whatever we want with whoever we want, as long as them contest folks don't find out?"

She might have been hurt or offended but she was sure he didn't mean it quite the way it sounded. Truth was, she'd been having the very same concerns about him, "No Daryl, I don't. As long as you and me are married I intend to act married." She asked the same burning question, "What about you?"

"I told ya before I ain't a player. I ain't interested in doin' nuthin' but actin' like a married man."

There. It was all out in the open and they were relieved, but also embarrassed. Even though there was so much more they'd both like to ask and to say, they just weren't ready. Daryl shrugged, "Ya wanna go now?"

She was glad, "Yes, let's go see this engineering marvel."

For the rest of their ride she held him even tighter and he liked it even more.

00

It was noon when they got back to the hotel and a lot more people were out and about, ready to begin partying all over again. It started before they even made it in the lobby. They were surrounded by curious picture takers and people just wanting a look at them.

With the of crush of people suddenly clamoring around he started to worry Beth would be hurt, and then he saw a guy reach his hand out, trying to touch her. Daryl roughly batted the hand away, put his arm around her waist and pulled her tightly into his side.

A woman yelled, "Daryl, Beth, let me take a picture of you in front of the sign!" That's when they saw it right there in the center of the lobby. No one who was coming in or going out of the French Riviera could miss it. He guessed it at about 20 feet tall and 16 feet wide. It was a giant picture of them, the picture where they were kissing so passionately. Diagonal text across the upper left corner seemed to scream the words, "Millionaire Newlyweds," and along the bottom it read, "The French Riviera, Making Dreams Come True."

"Fuck," he growled half-carrying Beth as he rushed to the elevator, anxious to get her and himself out of the throng of people.

No sooner had they gotten in their room than there was a loud knock on the door and he mumbled, "I swear that knockin' shit never ends." He opened it to find Carol Peletier standing in front of him and looking less than pleased.

"Daryl, Beth," Not only did she look pissed, her voice was terse when she told them, "We have to get to the commercial shoot right away, we're getting a very late start." Then she took the contract they'd signed from her briefcase and said, "However, before we do that we're going to sit down and have a little talk about what you agreed to when you signed this contract."

The way the woman looked and sounded had Daryl feeling like the fight was on, and he was ready to pounce. While Beth felt like she was back in third grade and in trouble with the teacher.

The groom sounded as snappish as Carol when he asked, "What the hell?"

"What the hell? Let me explain to you what the hell. You signed a contract and part of the contract clearly states you will cooperate with and engage in publicity promoting both yourselves and the hotel. Just now in the lobby there were people anxious to see the millionaire newlyweds and perhaps get a photo. You two ran off like you had something more important to do."

She was calming a little, she just had to fix this. It was important for her to convince them she was on their side. She didn't want to lose her biggest publicity grabbers any more than they wanted to lose their million dollars. She softened her tone a little, "I realize it's a situation completely foreign to you, and to most people, but it's also an important part of this promotion. That's the keyword to remember, promotion."

She looked at Beth and smiled sympathetically, "I understand it's overwhelming. You came to the big city, got married and were presented with a million-dollar cash prize. Your heads are spinning and you're a little confused. But there are certain things you have to keep in mind and one of them is that you now have celebrity status."

Carol was smiling like they were all best friends when she added, "Think about it, it's like being on one of those reality dating shows, except better. You two were given a million dollars for being in love. Of course people are excited to meet the happy, lucky and very good looking millionaire newlyweds."

She actually took Beth's hand at that point and continued, "Perhaps if you'd realized it was part of the arrangement to 'go along' you could have handled things a little better. Everyone would be so much happier now if you would have simply smiled and agreed to a few photos. Don't you think it would have gone a lot more smoothly?"

That's when Daryl spoke up, "We didn't know about all that shit. Guess we didn't pay enough attention. Anyway, all I knew was some guy was tryin' ta touch my wife and all them people were enough ta crush her. I's only tryin' ta keep her safe so I got her the hell outta there in a hurry."

Now the woman was smiling like _she'd_ just won a million dollars, "Oh my, aren't you the charming one." Then she wrote something in a small notebook and spoke to Daryl again, "I've written that down, just the part about you being worried your wife would get hurt and that you only wanted to keep her safe. Let's use that line in the TV interview as the reason you hurried away. You can let people know that otherwise you would have stayed and let the folks get their photos with you. Don't worry, we'll help you with the dialogue and I'll be sure it gets in the interview."

Beth's eyes were huge and the color had drained from her face, "TV interview? Me and Daryl? For what?"

"Well there are actually two and we'll be shooting them back to back right here at the hotel. We have a lovely and very intimate theater called the Parisienne Room. Now don't worry Daryl, we've already carefully chosen a select group of people to be in attendance. No one in the audience is going to touch or hurt Beth in any way."

Carol continued, "The Las Vegas Evening News Crew will talk to you first, then in celebrity news we've given exclusivity to Entertainment Tonight. They'll interview you next." Her smile was positively giddy when she added, "The Evening News interview will feed to NBC stations all across the country, even the Nightly News. Isn't that exciting?"

Beth jumped up, her hand covering her mouth as she ran to the bathroom with Daryl right behind her. Carol simply sat shaking her head as she let out a sigh and whispered to herself, "These two are going to need a lot of hand-holding."

She was on her knees in front of the toilet and he was kneeling next to her, holding her hair back and trying to sound reassuring, "Hey, it's okay Baby. Besides, I'm the one that oughta be throwin' up. You know how ta talk ta folks a lot better'n I do." He had his own worries, like what the fuck would he be doing in this interview besides making himself look like a dumb ass. For now though his concern was focused on her.

She reached her hand up to flush and then sat on the floor, he sat across from her and waited for her to say something. "You talk just fine. It's that, gosh Daryl, it'll be the whole country watching us. I'm a bookkeeper not a performer, I mean I sing in church and stuff, but that's different. I've known those people my whole life. And I know you think it's silly for me to worry, but my Daddy and Maggie and Shawn, oh my gosh, they're all going to see it." Tears glistened in her eyes and she looked so scared when she said, "I don't want to do it."

"Hey now, I don't think it's silly, and if ya don't wanna do this we don't gotta. Beth, c'mon now, I been tellin' ya over n over, we'll walk away if that's what ya want. Hell yes it'd be nice ta have all that money, but we'll get by without it."

"I'll get by for sure but what about my Daddy? And what about you and Merle and the shop?"

He shrugged, "Me and Merle been gettin' by our whole lives, it's what we do. We'll figure it out."

She smiled at him when she said, "I can't imagine getting through this with anyone but you Daryl."

They were both a little pink cheeked but also smiling, and he admitted to her, "I wouldn't do it with anyone but you girl."

For a moment they held a look. It was interrupted by the sound of Carol loudly clearing her throat. Beth took in a deep breath and said, "You know what Daryl? I'm going to do all this stupid stuff and it's going to be just fine. When we get home to Georgia everything will die down."

"K, if you're sure ya wanna." Then he smiled at her and asked, "Now that we got you all settled down who the hell's gonna talk me into it?" They laughed and at least for the time being the tension had been lifted.

He stood and helped her to her feet and kept standing by her while she brushed her teeth and splashed cold water on her face. She took another deep breath, looked at him and said, "Let's do this."

They started walking that way and he stopped, looked at her and ask, "Ya sing in church?"

"Yes, I still do."

"Huh, I never been. Would they let a guy like me in ta listen to ya?"

"I'm sure they'd be proud to have you."

"Yeah, well, maybe I'll go sometime. We'll see."

00

They were taken to hair and makeup first and given another set of clothes to wear. He was happy that at least this time they gave him jeans and a blue denim work shirt, even if they were the designer kind. She appeared in a long skirt that covered her bellybutton, and although the top was a modest cut it only went to just below her breasts, revealing her pale white skin. She looked hot and he knew he wasn't the only one who was going to think that, the whole country would be wondering how he got so lucky.

"Hey Baby, ya look real pretty."

"Thanks Honey, and you look very handsome."

Carol was beaming, that was just the kind of romance she wanted to see and hear. She led them to the studio where a huge green screen stretched all along one end. The production manager explained to the couple, "You two don't have to worry about remembering any dialogue or speaking any lines at all. We're just going to have you standing in front of this green screen, later we'll drop in the background footage. Your images will be imposed over various locations here at the hotel like the chapel, the spa, the casino, the pool and even the city itself. In editing we'll add music and voice-over narration."

They relaxed a little knowing they wouldn't have to speak. The production manager continued, "You're going to be given directions to do things like hold hands, give us your biggest smiles, Daryl you'll wrap an arm around Beth, lean in and kiss her cheek, then touch her face and kiss her lips."

He smiled when he told the groom, "Try your best to keep that kiss G-rated." Then his voice took on a fatherly sort of reassuring tone when he said, "This is going to be fun and easy, it's all stuff you two already do several times a day, so no big deals, right? If all goes well, we'll shoot for about 10 minutes. By the time it goes through editing the commercial will last one minute. We'll be working on it all night and expect to have it begin airing by tomorrow."

He looked at them and smiled again, "Ready?"

Daryl was chewing the side of his thumb but he shrugged and answered, "Yeah I guess. Baby whaddya think?" She nodded as he took her hand.

They were nervous and it showed. Their bodies were stiff and their smiles looked every bit as fake as they were. The director stopped the filming and gently reminded them, "C'mon now, you two are in love. Remember that. Think about the glamour, the romance and the excitement you've experienced these past two days, and don't forget that million-dollar payday. Relax, breathe, give each other a little kiss, and let's try again."

There were five more takes but finally the director, production manager and film editor decided they had enough footage to make one minute of it work. Daryl and Beth spontaneously hugged and she whispered, "Thank God it's over." Carol and the film crew were all silently thinking the same thing.

Next up was the Parisienne Room and the evening news. The interviewer was a young woman who looked like she was going to a cocktail party rather than doing a news story. She smiled sweetly though when she told them, "I'll walk in from stage left, talk to the audience for a minute, then the two of you will enter hand in hand from stage right. We'll all have a seat and go from there."

The newlyweds had that deer in the headlights look and she did her best to put them at ease, "Try to pretend there's no one else around, just you two and me. The entire interview will consist of very few questions and I won't ask anything too personal. The real story here is that a pretty young couple got married and became instant millionaires. Viewers just want in on the fairy tale. They want a look at you, they want to hear your voices and see how happy and in love you are."

She smiled sweetly and added, "I'll start with you Daryl and then alternate questions between the two of you. Are we ready?"

They were not ready, they would never be ready, but they answered yes.

They stood just off stage and hidden by a curtain as the interviewer walked to center stage. The audience applauded politely and she smiled and welcomed them. Then her voice changed, it sounded like she could barely contain her excitement, "Thank you for coming ladies and gentleman, guess who we have with us this evening?! That's right, the millionaire newlyweds!"

The crowd had been instructed how to respond and they did as they were told. They erupted in cheers, whistles and thunderous applause. As much as Daryl hated it he mostly worried about Beth, she was shaking. As they walked that way he wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered in her ear, "It's okay Baby, after tonight we're home free." Then he kissed her cheek and the crowd got even louder, but it was okay, Beth felt better.

The newswoman introduced them and then asked her first question, "Daryl, please tell our audience how you and Beth met."

It was his turn to panic and Beth's turn to think quickly. She covered his hand with hers, did her best to smile brightly and told the woman, "His brother introduced us and we just had that special feeling for each other right away." She smiled at Daryl and that seemed to relax him.

He looked at the interviewer, shrugged and said the only thing he could think to say, "My bother has his way."

"Isn't that wonderful…"

They got through the interview and through a similar one with Entertainment Tonight, where the host was upbeat and happy. The newlyweds weren't aware his company had paid the casino owners for the rights to be the exclusive celebrity news show, and to conduct interviews with the pair throughout the next year.

It was finally time for dinner. Carol was all smiles as she led them to a fancy restaurant and told them, "I'm giving you fair warning, there will be people who expect to get a picture with you. Just be agreeable for about twenty minutes. When I think enough is enough I'll give you a signal and we'll all leave together. Dinner will be sent up to you. While you're waiting for your meal, I'll chat with you about what you can expect to have happen over the next few days."

Daryl was instantly on edge, "Wait, whaddya mean the next few days? I heard we was bein' sent home tomorrow."

"You are. Don't worry, it's all great news!"

* * *

Later, when they heard the "great news" they learned it wouldn't all end when they got to their home in Smithton.

As they sat in their hotel room Carol informed the newlyweds they would be accompanied to the airport at 9:00 a.m., by Frankie and a private security person. Also known as a bodyguard. The pair would not only be escorting the couple to the airport, but as it turned out, they'd be going all the way home to Smithton with them.

The newlyweds weren't happy about the arrangement but Carol explained to them it was necessary. "Theodore, he prefers to be called T-Dog, will be there to help you fend off anyone who gets too close or bothers you in any way." She gave Daryl an understanding look when she added, "We don't want anyone getting too close to Beth. All you have to remember is to smile for pictures with the public, the ones who know how to behave. T-Dog will take care of any troublemakers."

Daryl argued, "I don't need no one else takin' care a Beth. I can take care a my own wife." His words had Beth smiling, she silently agreed he was more than capable. She was also very happy that he wanted to.

Carol agreed too, "I'm sure you can Daryl, there's not a speck of doubt in my mind. It's just that we can't take the risk of you possibly being sued. It happens, people start trouble on purpose if they think there's a possibility they'll make a buck. If you take a swing at some guy and his buddy says you started it, the next thing you know you're being sued. We don't want that, do we? Just let T-Dog take care of it, he's a well-insured professional."

Feeling a little defeated Daryl asked, "Well where are they gonna stay when we get ta Smithton? I ain't set up for company." He didn't bother to mention that he also didn't want company.

Carol just smiled, these two were definitely different than any two people she was used to, "Don't you worry. We've already secured our people rooms at a local hotel."

" _Your_ people? Are there some kinda other people comin' too?"

She smiled and shrugged like it was all everyday stuff when she answered, "Just a freelance photographer who's doing a job for People Magazine. He's already been spoken to and he'll be careful about giving you your space. He's even going to use a compact camera so it's not obvious when he's snapping photos. He'll get some shots of you two getting in the limo here at the hotel, arriving at the airport, in the airport, and then one or two of you on the plane before takeoff. A couple more in front of your home and that's all. He'll turn around and come back here on the next available flight."

When they were alone the couple agreed, they should have been more careful when they read the contract, and a lot less hungover.

00

Beth called her boss first thing Monday morning. The man had heard all about her good fortune on the evening news and knew she was still in Las Vegas, "I'm sorry I won't be in today, but we're coming home so I'll be in tomorrow and I can stay late to catch up."

That's when the boss gave her the news, "I appreciate that Beth however, management has made the decision to terminate your employment at this time. We've already had news people sniffing around where we're trying to run a business. Frankly, with all the money you've won we think it's better to let you enjoy your good fortune and for us to bring back someone who's been let go."

"But…"

"Amber has cleared your personal items from your cubicle and she has those for you. Your final paycheck has been sent to your address on file. Thank you for your loyalty, we wish you continuing luck in the future."

Daryl was watching her and he knew something was up, "What Baby?"

She was in a mini state of shock when she answered, "I think I just got fired for being rich."

Daryl could feel a surge of anger, "They can't fire ya because ya won a contest, it ain't legal."

She looked at him and shrugged, "Well they just did."

"Well fuck 'em then. I can take care of ya."

She couldn't help smiling, "Thank you Daryl. I think for a while we can take care of each other. We will have to be careful though Honey. A million dollars is a lot of money, but by the time the tax man takes his share and we do those things we want to do, there won't be much left."

"Yeah but Baby, my business is gonna pick up, 'specially now that I can buy those new computers and some other tools and equipment we been needin'. Sumthin' else too. I'ma have enough left ta pay off my house. I only got fifteen thousand left on the note. So Baby don't start worryin' about trouble we ain't got. That's my job."

He made the next call. He talked to Caesar and let him know he was on his way back to Smithton and made arrangements for the following morning. Caesar would come by with the work truck first thing and they'd move her stuff to Daryl's place.

* * *

Their own things and the clothing they'd been given were packed in the matching designer suitcases Carol sent up the night before. It apparently wouldn't do for them to be seen with their own humble cases.

They'd had their breakfast, showered and dressed in yet another set of new clothes they'd been provided. He teased her, "I's never such a fancy guy til I married you Baby. Look how you're already changin' me."

She appreciated how he made her laugh because reality had hit her hard that morning. She was so nervous about going home, to his home. Not about whether or not his house was nice enough, she was sure it was. This was about them.

Although it felt like they were getting close, the truth was all the things they'd been doing in Las Vegas had almost nothing to do with real life. That was all about to change. Now they were going to be living together, just the two of them in the same house. Sharing space. For the next year.

He had his own case of anxiety. What would she think of his place? He thought it was just fine but what if she thought it wasn't quite good enough? Maybe it wasn't modern enough or fancy enough. Not roomy enough. Not enough of anything. Shit. There was nothing he could do about it right in the moment, but he knew if there was anything she didn't like he'd change it for her right away. He thought maybe he could live just about anywhere if she was happy.

A bellman came for their luggage and was followed shortly by Frankie and the burly bodyguard named T-Dog. When the group entered the hotel lobby there was a crowd of people and Daryl and Beth did their best to act happy about having their pictures taken. When they got to the waiting limo the crowd was held back while just the freelance photographer got their picture, smiling as they got in the long black car.

The airport wasn't so bad. It was busy like they were told it would be, but those were mostly folks heading home. Some appeared to still be half-drunk, some were hungover and all were mostly broke. They were only asked to pose with people a few times.

The newlyweds breathed a huge sigh of relief when they were finally on board and in their seats. They were seated side by side in row one of first class and they felt confident they understood why. They'd be on full display to every passenger who boarded the plane.

As the other passengers began to stream in it was the flight attendant who quickly snapped a photo. Daryl mentally forgave her when she brought them each a tall glass of champagne. The photographer took their photo clinking glasses and having a sip, and then Beth's phone beeped.

She looked at the text and in a hushed voice mumbled at the device, "Yeah sure buddy, now that I have money. What a jerk."

Daryl was concerned, "What Baby, sumthin' else happen?"

"Look at this, it's from my stupid ex."

The text read, "I made a huge mistake Beth. I'm sorry. The woman didn't mean anything to me and nothing happened. Sneak away from that redneck and let's get together. We can talk." Daryl felt like he'd been kicked in the gut. He knew old flames sometimes still burn hot.

He handed her the phone back and she was smiling. She told him, "I don't even have to think about it." She pressed the screen a couple of times, looked at her husband and said, "There, gone for good. Number blocked."

Daryl couldn't quite believe how happy that made him. He looked in her eyes and whispered, "Let's go home Baby," and for a moment he forgot where he was. With the smile still on his face he reached for her, his hand clasping the back of her head and his fingers tangled in her curls. He leaned in and kissed her deeply, romantically and she responded with a kiss as passionate as his.

The photographer caught it all on camera.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the newlyweds are on their way home. I'd appreciate you leaving a comment / review. Next chapter you'll learn all about the house, sleeping arrangements, and well...you'll see. I hope to see you next Friday for more of Lady Luck. Until then remember, I love ya large and appreciate you greatly! xo gneebee


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much - you make me smile! Our couple is finally back in Georgia! Yay! This chapter they'll have their first night in their home. Let's see how that goes...

00

The newlyweds weren't exactly frequent flyers so it hadn't occurred to them just how busy the airport in Atlanta would be. It also hadn't dawned on them that as Georgia's own, their story would be bigger there than anywhere.

Although Daryl still believed he was the best one to protect Beth, with all the folks rushing up to them he was glad to have T-Dog running interference as they made their way through the busy airport. He and Beth had been well-schooled and they did their best to be patient, smile and let all the people who wanted to have a photo with them.

The night before, when they were finally left alone, they'd spent a lot of time talking about their situation and they'd made their decision. It was a cold hard truth they couldn't deny, her Dad needed help and Daryl and Merle's business needed a shot in the arm. It would be stupid to just kiss a million dollars goodbye. They were committed now, they were going to do this and try to deal with whatever they had to, even if they hated it.

Still, the only thing either of them could really think about in the moment was getting home and locking themselves in the house. Away from the world.

* * *

The previous evening Carol did her best to assure the couple they would be left alone for a week while they "adjusted." Except of course for T-Dog keeping an eye on things and Frankie getting everything ready for their "home interview." She seemed so understanding when she said, "Don't worry. It's going to be very simple. Right there in your own living room and just a few questions."

She'd gotten that big smile on her face when she told them, "You have to realize people are dying to see where the happy newlyweds will be living."

Daryl immediately expressed concern, "I been livin' there alone for five years. It ain't exactly all done up or nuthin'. It's small and it's real simple. I's just gonna let Beth change it however she wants."

That was the first Beth heard anything about that and she smiled as she wrapped her arm around his. He was enjoying her touch when she whispered, "Thank you for that Daryl, you really are the best." She wasn't just saying it either, it was how she'd begun to feel about the man she never intended to marry.

Carol was positively glowing at that point and she threw in a little something else, "Don't worry Daryl, since it's going to be on TV we have a crew who will come in and stage your living room. Frankie will have a look around when you arrive home tomorrow and she'll take care of everything from there."

Daryl was feverishly chewing his bottom lip, then he let it all out, "Listen, I know we signed a contract an all, I get it. We gotta do all kinds a shit whether we wanna or not, that's the deal. But we gotta have a little time away from all this stuff. We need ta get settled in."

"Of course you want time alone and like I said, I'm going to make sure you have that. Frankie will only be in your home a few minutes when you arrive. The setup for the interview won't happen until six days later, the morning of the interview. It doesn't take home stagers long, they do these sorts of things all the time and it's just one room. Two hours tops."

Beth had been considering what it all meant and she asked, "Isn't that kind of dangerous? Showing our home? People will know where we live, it's like sending out an invitation to come by our place."

Daryl was was impressed, his wife was a smart one, he hadn't even thought of that. He turned to Carol and simply asked. 'Yeah, what about that?"

"Don't you worry now, we'll be careful not to show the street name or the house numbers, and no distinguishing neighborhood features. We don't want strangers bothering you in your home any more than you do."

* * *

So now they found themselves in a limo with Frankie and the photographer, finally on their way home to Smithton. T-Dog was in a rental car and following close behind.

With other people around the couple didn't feel free to talk, not about anything that mattered. The whole trip had been so stressful and she was exhausted. Now that she was home in Georgia she felt like she could finally relax.

She laid her head on his shoulder and he smiled to himself as he lifted his arm to let her get more comfortable. Her head now rested on his chest and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, bent down and kissed her pretty blonde head. She snuggled into him a little more and he leaned his own head back, closed his eyes and him and his bride slept all the way to Smithton.

He woke just about a mile from his place and when the limo pulled up to the curb he muttered, "The hell, someone been messing around my house?"

Beth stirred, sat up straight and asked, "What? What's wrong?"

He was already looking at Frankie, "Did your 'people' do this?"

"Now don't get upset, please Daryl. No one went inside your home. Carol asked us to have someone spruce up the exterior and all they did was add some flower baskets on the front porch, put a nice little wreath by the door, and they replaced your lounge chair with a very pretty wicker loveseat, matching chair and a small table." She was smiling big and talking fast, hoping he wouldn't be mad, "I think it looks really nice and inviting, don't you? And we still have your chair, it's in storage."

It did look pretty, like something Beth might like, and he asked her, "Whaddya think Baby?"

"I think it's nice, but I love this house. I can't wait to see inside!" She wasn't just saying that, she did love it. Someone may have added a little furniture and some flowers, but the house would have been perfect without those. It was a 1950's American Bungalow Style home with stairs leading up to a sweet little front porch. The small house was surrounded by a beautiful green lawn and there were huge shade trees. It looked like the idyllic place to begin her new life with Daryl.

She caught herself and her mood turned a little sad as she remembered it would only be her home for a year.

That was the thought in her mind when Daryl took her hand and led the way to the front door, the others in tow behind him. Already there were neighbors out on their porches and milling around on the sidewalk. They were anxious to get a look at their suddenly rich neighbor who'd always seemed a bit rough and sour, and his beautiful new wife.

Daryl reached in his pocket for the key and the photographer snapped a photo as he unlocked the front door. He wasn't paying attention to the photographer though. He was looking at his smiling bride and he wondered if he should do it. There was a small grin on his lips as he asked himself, why the fuck not? He wanted to. He pushed the door wide open, swept her up in his arms and carried a happy, giggling Beth into her new home.

Frankie immediately turned to the photographer, "Did you get that?"

The guy was grinning from ear to ear when he answered, "Now _that's_ the money shot, it'll make the front cover."

Her husband had been honest, it was small. As soon as they walked in, there they were, in the living room. There was no entryway, no little foyer. The room spanned the width of the house and she could already imagine just how cozy it could be. For now it was fine though, everything she'd thought it would be. Manly and comfortable with not much of anything that wasn't necessary.

There was a brick fireplace on the far wall, a leather sofa, a leather chair, a coffee table and a TV. There were also three beautiful side by side front windows that she instantly fell in love with. The tall narrow windows were wood-framed and the edges of the panes were beveled glass. They looked right out onto the pretty front porch and yard.

Frankie had already pulled some little gadget out of her purse that took room measurements just by pointing it. She was also making notes and even made a little drawing. "Got it," she smiled.

The living room was as far as her husband let the visitors go, "The rest is private, it's our home. Carol said they was just gonna have the interview in the front room here."

Frankie assured him, "That's right. We won't intrude any further. I have my measurements and a couple of photos and that's all I need for now. I'll try my best not to bother you until the night before the interview. We'll arrange a time for early that morning when the professionals will come to stage the place. I can promise that as soon as the interview happens we'll put everything back just the way it was and we'll all be gone. After that you won't see us again for a month, when we catch up with you again."

He had a question he kept to himself for now, he'd save it for his brother. Would Frankie and Merle be shacking up while she was in Georgia? Shit, Daryl couldn't see how that could possibly end well.

For now though he set his mind on something else, he had to show his new bride the rest of the home they'd be sharing.

He turned the deadbolt on the front door, looked at her and they both breathed a deep sigh of relief. At last, it was quiet and they were alone. "Daryl I just love this house. It's…well I hate to keep repeating myself, but there's no other way to say it, it's perfect." He didn't doubt she meant what she said because she sounded so happy. Not like she was just trying to make him feel good about things.

He was still a little nervous when he asked, "Now that all a them are gone do ya wanna see the rest?"

"I do! Please."

From the living room they entered a hallway. On the left side there was an old-fashioned phone nook, complete with a black wall phone, then a linen closet and on the other side of that the bathroom. The next door she assumed led to his bedroom. On the right was the doorway to the kitchen and two other doors beyond that she assumed were the second and third bedrooms. It was the kitchen Beth wanted to see next.

it didn't disappoint and she couldn't stop smiling. The kitchen still had the original 1950's metal cabinets. They were painted a sunny shade of yellow and the bright look made her feel happy. There was also some open shelving where he had his plates, cups and bowls neatly placed. Rather than lower cabinet doors hiding whatever might be under the kitchen sink, there was a pretty yellow curtain. It was like something her grandma had. In fact, everything about the small kitchen looked like something her grandma might have had, including the appliances.

It was hard to guess which might be older, the stove or the refrigerator. She was sure the age didn't matter. Whether they were old or not she had a feeling Daryl was a man who would keep everything in good working order.

After the kitchen came the two smaller bedrooms.

The smallest of them held what looked like a miniature sporting goods store. There was a wall mounted gunrack with a shotgun and three rifles, on the opposite wall hung a compound bow and a recurve bow. There was a large bowstand with a huge crossbow and containers filled with arrows and the slightly shorter bolts. He told her the tall metal safe held pistols, ammunition and knives. Hanging from hooks on the wall were a set of camos, a hunting vest, game bags, a fishing vest, a down filled coat and there was a rack with four fishing poles. Hunting boots and fishing boots were in the corner on a rubber mat.

She could see he was embarrassed, "It ain't that I'm the violent type Baby. I promise. I just like gettin' out n huntin' or doin' some target practice. I like fishin' and tubin' too."

She nudged his shoulder with hers and said, "I feel like I'm going to be very well protected here."

She was joking but he was serious when he responded, "Baby, guns and bows or not, anyone who tried ta hurt ya wouldn't live ta tell about it. C'mon."

Next to the kitchen was the second bedroom, it was empty. "I ain't ever used it for nuthin'. I kept thinkin' I should get a bed or sumthin' in case I ever had company, but I couldn't think a any company I'd ever have."

They were both quiet as they stood staring into the empty room, knowing it would soon be her bedroom. She softly sighed and she sounded a little melancholy when she said, "Well it looks just fine for my things. Everything should fit."

His sigh was heavier when he answered, "Yeah okay I guess. I don't have Caesar comin' ta help me move ya til mornin' . He's already put in a full day's work today an it'll be dark in an hour."

She sounded even less enthusiastic than him, "Okay. Sounds good. We'll manage for a night and I'll get officially moved in tomorrow."

Neither moved, they still stood staring at the empty room. When he turned and looked in her eyes she was looking right back into his and he said, "I'll just sleep on the couch tonight."

"No Daryl, that's not fair. Besides, we've been sleeping in the same bed for three nights. I don't think one more night is going to make much difference."

"Serious?"

"Serious."

When she said it she had yet to see his room, and the size of his bed. As they walked the few steps across the hall he sounded apologetic, "It ain't much." She stood silently taking it in while her tummy kind of clinched. It wasn't because the room 'wasn't much.' The room was fine. Simple yes. There was a bed, a dresser and a night table. No décor of any kind. That wasn't the problem.

The problem was the bed. It wasn't a great big king size bed like they'd been sleeping in. This bed was far smaller, full size at most. There would be no room for a pillow down the middle. Her throat felt dry and the only word she could manage to say was, "Oh."

His brow creased and he asked, "Everythin' okay?"

She was momentarily saved from answering that question when her phone started to ring. At least she thought she was saved. "Hi Daddy. Yes, we just got home a few minutes ago. Yes, I was going to call you but we haven't even had time to sit down yet. Everything is fine, it's wonderful Daddy. Well yes, of course I want to see you but we've been traveling all day and I'm just now getting a little tour of my new home."

She looked at Daryl with her brows furrowed and her voice strained when she continued, "We're going to my apartment tomorrow to get my things. Why don't we come by after we do that?"

She was worried she'd overstepped, telling her Daddy they'd visit without asking Daryl first, then her husband motioned her to give him the phone. She was both happy and scared to do so. "Hey, yeah hello Mister Greene, yeah okay, Hershel then. Yeah, I got a guy ta help me move Beth's things over here ta the house. How bout we take care a all that first thing, then we can come by and see ya. We'll have a nice long talk. Supper? Uh, well yeah okay. Uh huh, we'll see ya just as soon as we can get there."

He pushed the button on the phone, handed it back, and she quickly said, "I'm so sorry I put you on the spot. Are you sure about this?"

"Ya don't gotta be sorry Baby. I'm startin' ta get it now. You're your Daddy's little girl and he's worried. I can't blame him. If you're askin' do I wanna go out there ta the farm, get my ass handed ta me by your old Daddy and then eat some supper with the man? Probably not, but it's the right thing so we're doin' it. Lemme call Caesar again, remind him ta come early."

The call was short and as he put the phone back in his pocket he smiled that small, crooked and almost embarrassed smile as he suggested, "Wanna go ta the store? I wiped out all the food before I left and I'm hungry. I'll pick out the meat and taters, you pick out the yogurt and berries."

She smiled and pretended to punch at his arm, he was funny. She was also happy to get anywhere else for a while and quit thinking about the bed situation, "Yes let's. What kind of car do you drive Daryl?"

"The pickup kind. It's an old Ford but she runs good and like the song says, the radio works."

They went out the side door from the kitchen and walked along the single car drive to the garage in the back. When she saw it she smiled, "It looks brand new." And she meant what she said. The deep blue 2000 F-150 shined, and there wasn't a scratch or a dent to be seen.

"That's not old and gosh, it's gorgeous."

He smiled and he sounded so proud when he told her, "Ya think? She's the first and only brand new vehicle I ever bought, I mean besides my motorcycle. I saved every nickel I made for two years and had a real good down payment. Got her paid off in just 18 months."

She felt proud for him, but she had a question, "Why is it a 'her'?"

He looked at his wife as he let his finger glide softly along her jawline, shrugged his shoulders and answered, "Dunno. I guess cuz before I married you _she_ was my Baby." That's when he caught himself doing what he was doing and quickly pulled his hand away from her face. He opened the passenger door, cleared his throat and said, "Alright lemme help ya up."

She already missed his touch.

As they backed out of the drive Daryl saw them. It seemed like the whole neighborhood, and quite a few folks he didn't recognize, were milling around on the sidewalk out front. He also spotted T-Dog watching from the black sedan parked across the street.

As Daryl pulled onto the road T-Dog followed right behind him. He didn't like it, especially strangers in the neighborhood gawking at him and especially at Beth, but he still felt sure the curiosity would die down soon. He also reminded himself for the hundredth time, putting up with shit like this meant having Beth with him _and_ a million-dollar payday. He'd just keep dealing with it.

T-Dog did his best to be discreet, keeping a few paces behind as he followed them through the store, while Daryl kept his arm protectively across Beth's shoulders as she pushed the cart. There were quite a few people who just wanted to say "hi" or wish them good luck, and a couple who wanted a picture of them. All in all it was a pain in the ass but at least it was chill.

While the clerk rang up the groceries Beth leaned up and whispered so no one else would hear her, "I'll pay you for my half when there aren't all these people watching us."

He looked at her like she was crazy and whispered back, "Bullshit." Then he smiled and softly bumped his shoulder into hers, "'Sides Baby, ya ain't even got a job."

She tried not to laugh when she bumped his shoulder back, "You don't look like a comedian but I'm starting to think that's just what you are."

* * *

It was already getting dark but he had lights in the backyard and while he grilled the chicken, she made a salad. She knew some things about him though and she smiled as she also made him a quick batch of biscuits and a baked sweet potato. She was happy she'd done those things when she saw the smile on his face.

What he did after dinner surprised her, but then again she supposed maybe it shouldn't. He'd been living alone for years and he was obviously the tidy kind. Still it was a nice change to see a man get up after dinner and start clearing the table, and filling the sink with suds. He asked, "You the washer or the dryer?"

"I think I'll be the dryer. I'd like to keep this manicure looking nice as long as possible."

"What about my manicure?" They both laughed and it was fun, just the two of them in the little yellow kitchen doing dishes together. "Dinner was real good Beth. Thanks for doin' all that."

"Thank you Daryl, the chicken was awesome."

They took turns going in the bathroom to put their pajamas on. When she came out, he went in, and while she sat on the sofa waiting for him she tried not to think too much about how things would go later.

All those worries temporarily left her when he walked in the room, lifted his arms straight above his head, yawned and stretched. She got a real nice view of that bare upper body, all the way down to and including his happy trail. Even though he didn't catch her looking, she still felt her cheeks turn pink.

He plopped down next to her, took her hand and smiled, "Well so far so good with this livin' together stuff, huh?"

He did it to her again, she laughed a little and played along, "Indeed. I don't see why so many people have trouble with it. Maybe they just know each other too well."

"Ha, yeah. That's it." He grabbed the remote off the table and said, "I don't think I can stay up long enough ta watch a movie. These last couple a days kinda wore on me." Then he did something she'd been told no man would ever do, he handed her the remote. "Why don't ya pick sumthin' out. As long as it ain't a show about fashion models or housewives in Beverly Hills I'll be okay with it."

She had no idea, but he was feeling just as nervous as her about the bedtime situation. Never in a million years would he have suggested she sleep with him in his bed, then she just said it. Like it was no big deal. Shit. He couldn't help having thoughts about the way things could be with her and him. That unopened box of condoms he brought home from Vegas? He'd slipped it in the drawer of his night table, it was just waiting. Then he reminded himself not to get excited. She was there to keep up a show so they could keep the money. That damn box would no doubt still be sealed up tight in a year.

They watched an old episode of some crime drama and when it ended, without even thinking about what he was doing, he patted her thigh, "Ya ready for bed. I sure as hell am, but if ya wanna stay up the TV noise ain't gonna bother me."

"I was yawning through that whole stupid show. Yes, I'm ready."

She used the bathroom first and as she walked out he told her, "Go on ahead n get in bed, I'll be there in a minute Baby." Shit, listen to him. He needed to get a grip.

"Oh. Okay, well which side is yours?"

"I dunno. I usually sleep in the middle. Ya pick a side I'll pick the other." Shit, now what?

He went in the bathroom and she walked in the bedroom. She stood next to the bed, took a deep breath and pulled the covers back, closed her eyes and crawled in. She lay on her side looking toward the wall and away from the other pillow, his pillow. She was so close to the edge she was scared if she sneezed she'd fly off. She waited.

She heard him walk in the room but she didn't look that way, she squinted her eyes shut. He flipped off the light and crawled in the other side, laying on his back as close to the edge as he could get. Barely hanging on. He was anxious, he thought he should say something. All he managed was, "We'll g'nite Beth."

And all she managed was, "Goodnight Daryl."

She'd been sure she'd never be able to fall asleep, but she was so tired she was out almost immediately. He was the same.

The next morning, just like always, he woke early. When he realized what was going on he panicked. He was spooning her and she was snuggled back into him, and he had a killer case of morning wood. But that wasn't even the worst. His hand was on her breast.

He flew off the bed like the mattress was on fire and the words rushed out, "I'll go put some coffee on." And he was out of there.

She thought they must have started waking up at the same time. She remembered dreaming he was holding her close and it felt so good. It was so comforting, but also hotter than any feeling she'd ever had. She could feel him, big and manly and hard and pressed so close to her. Just thinking about it had a warm feeling rushing through her body, and she felt her cheeks turning red with embarrassment over her own thoughts of what might have been. If only he'd stayed there with her.

Oh my gawd she thought, this has trouble written all over it. It's a good thing I'm getting my own bed today. Except it would be so lonely. She'd miss sharing the bed with him, having those big strong arms wrapped around her and their bodies pressed close together.

She walked in the kitchen just as the first of the coffee was beginning to drip in the pot, and she could see by the look on his face he was as embarrassed as her. She decided to just put it out there so hopefully they could move on. "Hey, Honey it's…"

That's all she managed to say before the words rushed out of him, "Shit, I'm sorry Baby. I didn't…it wasn't…I just…ah fuck. I'm sorry."

She walked to him and took his hand in hers. As embarrassing as it was and as tough as it was, she was determined to try and get the words out. She wasn't much more articulate than he'd been, "Hey, Daryl, I was there too and I wasn't exactly fighting you off. We'd been sleeping close, we…well we must have been having…well whatever. It happened and I'm not mad at you." She sighed and held his hand tighter when she said, "It's probably a good thing I'll be sleeping in the other room. You know, in case we have those kinds of dreams again."

She wished more than ever she wasn't moving into the other room. She wished he'd ask her to stay with him, to sleep with him in his bed. Even if all they ever did was just hold each other close.

He didn't though. He just looked at her and said, "Yeah, right, I gotta get ta the bathroom." Neither seeing her pretty face nor hearing her sweet voice were bringing him any comfort. The only thing he could think of that would, would be holding her in his arms again. He was pretty sure that was never going to happen. Not like that. Not curled up in bed together.

He hated the thought of her sleeping in the other room and away from him. He'd almost let himself hope she might want to just keep sleeping with him. Except maybe not really sleeping at all. Shit.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confusion and denial abound :) Please leave a comment or review and let me know what you think. I hope to see you back next Friday for more of Lady Luck as Beth gets officially moved in and Daryl meets Hershel. Until then remember, I love ya large and appreciate you so much! xo gneebee


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your great notes you guys :) This chapter someone brings up something from Daryl's past, Beth gets moved in, Daryl meets his new father in law, and he finally makes a little admission about his feelings. Hang on, here we go!

00

By 6:45a.m. the phone was ringing off the hook. Fuck. He'd forgotten that his name, the landline number and his address were listed in the local phone book. It had never been a problem in the past, but then he'd never been temporarily famous before. Now that he had a little notoriety it felt like the assholes were coming out of the woodwork. At least there was an easy fix for the phone. He yanked it off the wall and stashed it in the linen cabinet.

The constant ringing hadn't helped with the tension he was already feeling. Her and him both needed something to do besides look at each other, neither of them knowing what the fuck to say while they remembered their situation that morning. He and Beth breathed an almost simultaneous sigh of relief when Caesar pulled up in the work truck at 7:15 to help with the move.

When Daryl introduced him to his new wife, Beth noticed noticed Caesar didn't smile or seem particularly friendly. Then, when he shook her hand, he might as well have dropped a bomb, "It's nice to know Daryl doesn't always just make weak promises and break hearts. Congrats on being the one to pin him down. "

She was stunned and she couldn't have spoken in reply if she wanted to, it didn't matter. Her husband half spit the angry words at his so-called friend, "Ya better watch yourself Caesar, I ain't in the mood for your shit." Clearly it was no innocent joke. Her thoughts were spinning, was there a serious girlfriend in her husband's past? Was he less than honest when he said there never had been? Why was she suddenly feeling jealous and a little betrayed? And why was this man who was supposed to be her husband's friend throwing him under the bus?

There wasn't time to dwell on these questions at the moment, the three of them had a job to do. Yet she knew she wouldn't be able to simply forget the brief exchange or the uncomfortable feelings it brought up. She wanted answers. She'd get those answers from him later and she hoped they wouldn't be too painful.

They walked out the front door and saw there was already a small crowd on the sidewalk. The newlyweds did their job. They smiled and waved and despite the anger he was feeling toward Caesar, Daryl even managed to sound nice and friendly when he said, "Thanks for comin' by and for staying on the sidewalk, we appreciate y'all giving us a little space."

He spotted T-Dog waiting just across the street, and when they pulled out of the driveway the bodyguard followed. Again he was discreet, staying a couple of car lengths behind as they all drove the 25 miles to Beth's small apartment in the company truck. Caesar never even noticed they had a tail.

With the gear shift in the middle and the CB radio mounted below the dash, she wound up with very little room and practically in Daryl's lap for the entire drive. She didn't mind that. It wasn't what made everything so uncomfortable. It was the heavy tension between the two men in the cab with her. There was no small talk or talk of any kind as they rode. The only pleasant thing was the way Daryl kept his arm wrapped tightly around her waist.

Meanwhile her husband's stomach was in a knot. Fuck, what the fuck was the matter with Caesar? Why the hell would he bring up shit from five years ago? And to Beth? He'd be asking him those questions later, when she wasn't around.

Still he'd seen the look on her face and he wondered and worried if later she'd ask him about it. He'd tell her everything, he wasn't going to lie to her. But fuck. It was water so far under the bridge, and such shitty water, all he'd ever tried to do was forget the whole experience.

* * *

While she was busy packing up her clothing, toiletries and personal items to load in her car, the men were busy loading her bedroom furniture in the pickup bed.

For the first time since she'd moved in the small apartment she was happy not all the furniture was hers. The place had come fully furnished but she'd been reluctant to sleep in a bed she had no idea who might have slept in before. When she made her request the landlord agreed to put the bedroom furniture in storage. She had graduation money and she'd been happy to spend it buying herself a brand new bedroom set. Financial times hadn't gotten so hard yet.

She was going through the kitchen cabinets and drawers when Daryl walked in from loading furniture and offered to help. She looked over her shoulder at him and said, "I don't know Honey, I'm just thinking you already have all the kitchen things we need." She shrugged adding, "I don't have much and most of what I do have I got at thrift stores. I think I'll just make a trip to Goodwill tomorrow to donate it all back."

He was grateful she was still calling him Honey, but then again maybe it was just for show. He offered, "Hey Baby, ya don't hafta get rid a your stuff. We can keep yours and donate mine if ya wanna."

"No, I like your things better than mine. All I want to take is my favorite baking pan, my Mama's mixing bowls and the mixer."

"Done Baby. Whatever ya want." Shit, so far so good. At least she hadn't told him she changed her mind and that she wasn't going anywhere with his sorry ass. Not yet anyway. Well, then there was the million bucks. Yeah, that explained a lot.

"Well now that you mention it Daryl, I mean since you said _anything_ I want. See that sewing machine? And the small sewing cabinet and table, well and of course the chair? They're mine too. Do you think maybe we could make a little space for them in the sporting goods room?"

He almost laughed out loud, "Sure, that seems like the perfect place. Huntin', fishin', sewin', it's all the same thing, right?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking," she smiled.

The silly little exchange had him feeling hopeful that just maybe she'd forgotten all about it.

She was wishing she could just forget about it.

Then he saw her guitar, picked it up and asked her, "Ya know how ta play this?"

"I do."

"Will ya play me sumthin' later?"

"Sure I will if you want me to."

"Yeah, yeah I do."

Everything seemed so good, so normal, when Caesar came in and made a show of knocking on the doorjamb like he'd caught them at something. His voice didn't seem all that friendly when he asked, "Hey, you two gonna talk all day or do you wanna get this done?"

Daryl seemed to be scowling at the guy in return when he gruffly answered, "Yeah, you drive the truck, me n Beth will follow ya in her car."

On their way home the couple chatted all about this and that and everything in between, except what they were both thinking about.

* * *

Caesar thought he was just being a smart ass when, as he helped Daryl move her bedroom furniture into the spare room he asked, "So what? Your bride already sick of sleepin' with you and she wants her own room?"

Daryl was keeping up appearances and was also trying to tamp down his anger and not slug the guy, at least for the moment, "She's got alotta family that might be comin' for visits and such."

Caesar laughed, "Aha, the mother-in-law is moving in, huh?"

Besides becoming increasingly annoyed with his "friend," Daryl realized it then, he had no idea what had become of Beth's mother. He didn't know if she'd passed, or maybe she'd just run off and left the family. It seemed that around every turn there was something else he didn't know about Beth, her past and her family.

For now he simply blew Caesar off, "Enough with the 20 questions, let's just get this shit done, me and my wife got somewhere ta be this afternoon."

Meanwhile she was busy putting things away in the kitchen and thinking too much. She made a decision. Tonight she would ask him. It had to be tonight. Otherwise she'd never be able to sleep. She did wonder why the hell it should even bother her. Was it really the end of the world if he'd had a girlfriend? He was a 30 year old man for gosh sake. She knew the reasons she couldn't let it go, it was the way Caesar said what he said, and the question of whether her husband had lied to her.

As soon as the furniture was in place Caesar headed back to the shop and neither Daryl nor Beth were sorry to see him go. This wasn't the end though, Daryl knew he and Caesar would be having a not so friendly discussion about things real soon. For now he kept himself busy setting up what he referred to as her sewing center, while Beth stayed occupied getting her things organized and making her bed. They both tried to quit thinking.

Her bed was made and she stood looking at it and thinking. It was the same size as his but so different. He had a plain tan bedspread, she had a very feminine quilt and fluffy pillows. She almost smiled when the thought crossed her mind, Daryl probably wouldn't even consider getting in a bed that looked like hers.

It startled her when he cleared his throat and she turned to see him leaning against the doorjamb. He nodded his head once and said, "It looks real pretty Beth, like I'd imagine ya havin'."

It would suit him just fine if she wanted to move all that shit in his room and stay there with him, or if she invited him into her bed. Either way. As long as she was with him he'd sleep in a dainty looking bed every night. Except hopefully not sleep much.

* * *

By two o'clock she was showered and dressed and he was just out of the shower and getting his clothes on. When he came out of his room she couldn't help smiling, he'd dressed up a little. He had on dark jeans, a nice long sleeve plaid shirt that was actually tucked in, and the brown boots they'd given him to wear in one of the photoshoots.

"You look so nice Daryl."

"Yeah, well I'ma be meetin' your Daddy, I thought I better try'n look halfway decent. You look real pretty Beth." And she did. She was wearing a simple yellow dress that had a full skirt, and she had a thin white sweater draped across her shoulders. It had him smiling, she looked every bit the sweet farm girl, he took her hand and said, "Okay Baby, I'm ready ta do this thing. Puttin' it off ain't gonna make it go any easier."

* * *

When the newlyweds turned into the farm's driveway, T-Dog stayed on the rural road, trying to keep out of sight as he parked the sedan in a stand of trees. He proceeded to do what he'd been paid to do, keep an eye on things.

Her Daddy was standing on the front porch waiting when they pulled up, and Daryl took a fast, hard look at the man he had to prove himself to. He was far older than Daryl expected. In fact he looked old enough to be Beth's grandpa. His hair was white and he wore suspenders, and the look on his face was a strange combination of anger, concern and confusion, mixed with a little relief and delight at the sight of his smiling daughter.

Daryl raised a hand in greeting as he hurried to open Beth's door and help her down. She was happy her husband was a gentleman, and not just because she enjoyed it. She knew his actions would score at least a point or two with her Daddy.

He took her hand and they hurried to where her Daddy stood waiting. The man smiled, nodded his head to her and said, "Ladybug."

She smiled back, "Hi Daddy," and they briefly hugged.

At that point the man's eyes became fully focused on Daryl, and Daryl reached a hand out when he said, "Sir, nice ta see ya. I'm Daryl Dixon. Beth's husband." He was relieved to get through at least those first few simple words without embarrassing himself.

It was hard to read Hershel's reaction but he gave a firm handshake and said, "Son. Thank you for bringing my daughter today. I'm glad to see for myself, she looks happy and well." His words were positive but the man had a definite sternness in both his look and his tone.

As they walked inside Daryl noticed the tray with a pitcher and two glasses on the foyer table, sweet tea. Tea and talk. It must be the old man's way of doing things. Daryl wished it was something stronger, but yeah, this was probably a better idea. Mostly he was anxious to get through whatever hell was coming and hopefully come out alive at the end of the day.

"Daughter, I've got supper nearly ready in the kitchen. It just needs your finishing touches. Why don't you go see to that while me and Daryl here have a talk."

Beth's eyes went right to her husband's. He read the question in them and his response was a slight nod of his head letting her know it was fine, he could handle it. She gave a small nod in return and then smiled at her Daddy, "I'd be happy to Daddy. It smells delicious. I'm guessing pot roast and I bet you'd like to have some gravy with it, maybe even some biscuits."

As soon as she was out of the room her Dad poured tea for his new son in law and then himself. Daryl took his first sip and took the bull by the horns. He'd spent a lot of time thinking about what he would say to this man and he did his best to say it right, "Sir, I know all this hasta seem crazy to ya. Heck, Beth and me, we think it's pretty crazy. But it happened. That first time we looked at each other was when I think we knew we was already fallin' in love."

Daryl was stunned at how easy the words came to him. It was almost like it was all true.

Although he did not raise his voice Hershel Greene let all his pent-up tension, concern and anger come out in a series of accusatory questions, "You're right Daryl, it is crazy and I am not at all pleased with how this came about. You're the man in this situation and obviously older than her, you should have been the one to be more responsible. Don't you think it would have been a wiser choice to wait? To give yourselves time to get to know each other a little better? Didn't you think about the fact her family may have something to say about all of this? Couldn't you have waited until she was home? Couldn't you muster up the gumption to do the right thing and come to me to ask for her hand?"

All seemed like valid questions a father had the right to ask. It was the tone of his voice and his condescending manner that had Daryl's back going up. Any other time, any other man talking to him that way would have had Daryl Dixon barking back and on the fight.

This was different. This was too important. This particular man happened to be Beth's Dad and his father in law. He knew his wife was worried about the way this meeting would go and Daryl wanted to make everything okay for her. He felt the need to try and smooth things over with the old guy. So her husband did his best to stay calm and make things right. And he was as honest as he could be.

"Yessir, I shoulda handled things different. I shoulda waited, come here and talked to ya. I mighta done that if I'da been sober and thinkin' straight. Truth is Hershel, there wasn't just the feelins me n her was havin' for each other. I'm admittin' it to ya, I's drunk. She'd had a few drinks too but nuthin' like me. I didn't think things through like a man should, but that don't mean gettin' married was a mistake. It don't feel like a mistake."

Her Daddy's eyes hadn't left Daryl's eyes. He wasn't backing down but his tone and his manner had mellowed, he appreciated his new son in law owning up to mistakes he'd made. Then her Daddy got right down to it. "Do you have a drinking problem son?"

Daryl hadn't seen that coming, but he just kept telling his truth, "Nah but I know about that stuff firsthand. My Dad was a full-blown alky and a mean one at that. He's the reason I keep an eye on myself, I don't wanna fall down that hole. I got a business ta run and people countin' on me. Now that me n Beth are married I got even bigger responsibilities. I ain't one who's gonna be out drinkin' and neglectin' my family. I'll be comin' home ta her at night. And drunk or sober, I ain't ever gonna be mean ta her."

Hershel appreciated the honesty he got and he was honest in return. "I know quite a lot about drinking problems and mean fathers myself. My own father was a cruel man and I've got my own past. Long ago I turned to the bottle. I gave alcohol control of my life. It was Beth's Mama who finally turned me around. I haven't had a drop in years, and just so you know, I don't allow drinking here on the farm."

Daryl was surprised the man would admit his own shortcomings and respected that he had. It also gave him an opening to ask, "Sir, if ya don't mind tellin' me, what became of Beth's Mama?"

Daryl saw a sadness wash over the old guy's face when he answered, "It was a virus that took her. She just couldn't shake it. Beth was 16 at the time and it was real hard for her. She almost gave up on life herself. But she turned things around and she's done well. At least I thought she was doing well until she ran off to Las Vegas and married a stranger."

Daryl took it on the chin and kept things as upbeat as he could, "Sir, all I can say is I'ma do my best ta make ya believe she didn't make a mistake."

Her Dad nodded his head and replied, "That's what I pray for son. I have no interest in this marriage not working out. I love my daughter I want her to be happy."

As Beth kept busy in the kitchen she never stopped praying things were going well. At least she hadn't heard any yelling, that had to be a good sign. She was reluctant to disturb them so when dinner was ready she simply opened the door from the kitchen far enough to call to them, "Are you ready for dinner or shall we wait?"

Hershel nodded to Daryl before calling back to her, "Thank you Bethie, we're coming."

Daryl smiled at both at the name, Bethie, and his relief. He knew her Daddy wasn't happy but he also wasn't hateful and that felt like a win.

As they begin the short walk to the dining room her father suddenly stopped. Daryl stopped too, giving the man a questioning look. Her Daddy asked, "You didn't marry my daughter just for a chance at that prize money, did you?"

Daryl surprised himself in a couple of ways. Not only did he manage not to get angry, he managed to get the words out the way he wanted them to come out, "That ain't what this is. What it is, is good sir. It's right. The money, well we didn't even know about any a that. It ain't the reason we done what we done. We got married cuz we had feelins."

He was struck by the thought again. He had no idea he was such a good actor, but then he also recognized the truth in what he said. He was pretty damn sure he wouldn't mind at all if she stayed with him forever.

It was when they sat down at the table together, right after her Daddy said the blessing, that's when he asked Daryl, "Are you a Christian son?"

"Nah I ain't. I ain't nuthin'. I never been ta church. Beth tells me she sings there every week an I thought sometime I might go listen ta her, if that's allowed."

"Alright then, you two can pick me up on your way there this Sunday."

Daryl smiled, he'd let the old man win a lot that day but he wasn't giving it all to him. "A'ight. We'll be by for ya, but don't count on me goin' every Sunday. I'll go listen ta my wife sing this week but that's it. I prefer spendin' my Sundays outside."

"You never know son, maybe while you're there the spirit will strike you."

"Yeah? I always thought if I ever walked in a church it'd be lightenin' that would strike me."

That's when Beth decided it was best if she stepped in and changed the subject, "Daddy, Daryl and I have come to a decision about how we're going to spend this huge amount of money we've been blessed with."

"How's that daughter?"

"Well I have some outstanding student debt. Not a lot but I'd like to be out from under it. Daryl only owes $15,000.00 on the house so we plan to pay it off too. He's also going to upgrade his shop, you know, with those diagnostic computers and some other equipment."

Her Daddy was nodding in agreement, "Those all sound like good, thoughtful choices, but Son, do you really think all that fancy equipment is going to improve your business?"

"Yessir, right now there's some work we can't do cuz we don't have the proper tools, and some bikes we can't work on cuz we ain't got the right diagnostics. Once we get em we'll be able ta work on any bike bein' made."

"I see. Well then that sounds like a good investment."

"That's not all though Daddy. Daryl and I agreed we want to pay off the bank note on the farm."

The look of shock on her Daddy's face had Daryl worried the old boy might have a heart attack, but he recovered quickly and said, "No, I can't allow that. That's your money. Yours and your husband's."

Daryl was about to speak but Beth beat him to the punch, and it was there at her Daddy's dinner table Daryl saw his wife could be just as tough and stubborn as she needed to be.

Her voice had an almost disciplinary tone, as if she was the adult and her father was the child, "Daddy I won't take no for an answer. I won't allow you to just walk away from the farm that's been in our family four generations. If you decide you want to sell it then fine, but just letting that stupid savings and loan take it from you is wrong. I can't watch that happen. Besides, it's my money and my decision and I'm going first thing in the morning and paying it off. That's that. I won't listen to any arguing."

Daryl could see her old man was fighting tears, then he turned to his son in law and said, "You see what you've gotten yourself into young man? When her mind is set on something you won't stand a chance."

Daryl shrugged, smiled and said, "Yeah, I think I just saw the proof a that. But ya know sir, Beth's right."

All in all it had gone better than Daryl ever hoped for. When it came down to it her Dad was just a Dad who wanted the best for his daughter. They shook hands when he and Beth left and Hershel said, "Okay son, I'll see the two of you Sunday morning, and I like to be early."

Daryl smiled back, he gave the old man that one too, "Yessir, we'll see to it."

00

On the way home she asked and he told her all that had been said, holding nothing back. He wasn't going to make that mistake again, keeping something from her.

She had a question to ask right away though, "Are you really going to church with us?"

"Yeah but I ain't goin' for the church part. I mean I'm willin' ta listen ta that stuff but I ain't sure how I feel about it. I'm only goin' ta hear ya sing in front a them people. Ya still gonna sing me a song when we get home?"

"I am, I'll sing you a few." She wished that was all that was going to happen, but she knew she'd ask him about the remark Caesar made.

"Sounds good." He knew it was stupid to hope that would be all of it. That he could just sit and watch her sing. He was sure there would be questions about Caesar's remark, and he had a question for her as well.

For now he told her, "I'll take ya ta get the rest a your stuff and get it ta the Goodwill in the mornin', then we can stop by the savings and loan."

"You don't have to Daryl."

"I know, but I'll feel better bein' with ya. After we do all that I'll take ya ta the shop and you can have a look around." He reached his hand over long enough to touch her cheek and smiled, "Maybe you'll sit with me while I order the computer n tools. I've had the stuff picked out and the notes on my desk for months." He took one more quick glance over at her and said, "All this time I thought I's just dreamin'."

00

He sat on the sofa sipping a beer, smiling as he watched and listened to her sing and play. He still couldn't believe they were married, or that there was any way she'd stay with him once the year was up. She was so beautiful, but it wasn't just her looks. She was the whole package, sweetness, grace, a little bit of a temper and what he was sure was a lot of passion.

Damn, and she could sing. He enjoyed the hymn she played, followed by some Tom Waits and a little old school Dylan. There were even a couple of her own tunes. When she wrapped it up he told her, "Baby that was so fuckin' good. I'da paid a whole lotta money ta see a concert that good."

Her face was red but she was smiling, "Really Daryl? No, you're just saying that."

"It's true Baby, ya got that shit down like a pro."

She leaned the guitar against the wall and he asked, "Ya wanna watch a movie or sumthin'?"

It took all the will she could muster to say, "Maybe later. For now I think we should talk."

He felt his heart get heavy but he'd known this was coming, "Sure Baby, whaddya wanna talk about?"

"Daryl, please, I think you know. What did Caesar mean today? Was there someone serious?" She felt uncomfortable asking and already kind of wished she hadn't.

He felt like he needed more oxygen. He wished he could go outside and just breathe. Instead he chewed the side of his thumb for a minute, and then he began, "I didn't mean ta keep anythin' from ya Baby, I swear I didn't. It's just...it happened five years ago and after it did I tried real hard not ta ever think about it again. The whole damn thing was nuthin' but a mess."

He stood and held out his hand to her, happy when she took it. They were standing no more than six inches apart, blue eyes staring hard into blue eyes. Scared, hopeful and feeling something neither of them had admitted.

It was spontaneous the way he took her in his arms and pulled her body close to his, and he was happy when she didn't fight it. She didn't want to fight it, it felt too right. His voice was soft and low and his tone was so sincere when he promised, "I'ma tell ya all of it but Baby, it was nuthin' real."

His hand was softly stroking her hair and his lips were on her ear. His warm breath was on her skin and she could feel her body beginning to respond to the sensuality of the tender moment. In a low, hoarse and emotion-filled whisper he confessed to her, "You're the only woman I've ever felt sumthin' real for Beth Dixon." He eased back just enough to look in her eyes, "Please Baby, ya gotta believe me."

There was nothing she wanted more than to believe him.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, but shoot, the chapter had to end somewhere. I'd also throw in, I always felt Hershel and Daryl had a good, solid and respectful relationship on the show, I wanted to keep that "feeling" here. Please leave a comment / review and let me know what you think. There's a chapter photo on my blogs gneebee and bethylmethbrick if you'd like to check it out. I hope to see you all back here next week - on Thursday - for more of Lady Luck. Until then remember, I love ya large and appreciate you so much! xo gneebee  
> NOTE: Next week's chapter will post a day early - Thursday. So the wait won't be quite as long :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much everyone! It's Friday on Thursday! So, a lot of very good things happened last chapter, but dang if Caesar didn't act like an arse and drop that little bomb. This chapter we're going to hear from Daryl just what the story is, he's going to question Beth about something too. There's even a little romance and they're going to make a decision and a plan. I hope you enjoy!

00

He drew back and looked in her eyes again, then took her hand in his and they sat side by side on the couch. He ran his fingers quickly and roughly through his hair, pushing it back off his face like it was in his way. After one more deep sigh he began his story.

"We had the shop open for a about month and everythin' was goin' real good. We were surprised, we didn't think it was gonna take off so fast and we were jazzed. All of us practically bouncin' up and down. Anyway, so Friday after work we decide ta have a little celebration down at Ray's Bar. It was me n Merle, Caesar and Amy, they were datin' back then but not married yet. Our two other mechanics were there and one a them had his wife come down and meet him. The rest of the men were flyin' solo, includin' me."

He stood and paced for minute, his expression pained when he said, "Fuck, I hate ta talk about shit like this Baby," he pursed his lips and nodded, "But I said I would and I'm gonna."

"Amy and Caesar stopped on their way and picked up her friend. I didn't think anythin' of it when they walked in with her. I never woulda put two n two together that they were tryin' ta set me and her up. I'm sure they never planned ta tell me cuz they know I ain't into that kinda thing. One time before they asked me ta meet one a their friends and I told em 'no' I wasn't interested in any fix ups and I never would be. I guess that's why they were bein' sneaky"

He was biting hard on his lower lip when he plopped back down and went on with his story, "Anyway, she seemed alright, ya know, nice and stuff, just out ta have a good time like all the rest of us. I's surprised when after a couple beers she moved over and sat next ta me. She started gettin'…well kinda touchy with me. Real touchy, and in front of everyone." His neck was scarlet when he admitted, "I didn't tell her ta quit though. I's a single guy n I's celebratin' and…ah fuck I'm sorry."

Beth didn't know why she was feeling so shook. She didn't even know him at the time and he didn't owe her this explanation, but they were in this now. She wished she never would have asked in the first place. She tried to give him an out, "Hey Daryl, don't be sorry, I don't need to know. Let's just forget I ever asked."

He took a long draw on his beer and asked, "Ya want a beer? Let's drink a beer."

"Sure. I'll have a beer with you." She hadn't planned on drinking that night but this story seemed to need a beer. He practically flew off the couch and once in the kitchen he silently screamed "fuck" again, grabbed the beers and went back to face whatever the hell might be coming next.

"I started and I'ma finish tellin' it. When I'm done you're gonna tell me what I wanna know. Fair?"

"Yes, sure, alright." Dammit she thought, but she'd asked for this.

"I've been worried and miserable all day thinkin' about ya askin' me about what Caesar said. I don't want things ta happen like this between us ever again. We shouldn't have secrets that come up later and cause trouble. It just ain't good Baby." He nodded, she nodded and he went on with his story.

"Anyway, we had a couple beers and then she asks me if I wanna party at her place. I ain't gonna go into details, I knew what she meant and I'm sure you know too." He took a generous swallow of beer and went on, "I made sure I said what I needed ta say so me and her were cool. Merle's fulla shit but that don't mean he ain't right about a lotta stuff. He always told me 'ya gotta be square with the ladies kid, let em know what the deal is right up front.' So I was and I did."

"I told her it sounded like fun but that I was only in it for the party. I wasn't lookin' for nuthin' more with her or with anyone else. Does that sound cold? I think it sounds real cold. When ya ain't honest though it ends up causin' trouble no one needs. I didn't wanna take a chance on any misunderstandins. She looked right at me and said that was all she wanted too, just a little fun."

"One of us was lyin, but it wasn't me."

He hung his head, shook it a little and then the words came out fast, like he just wanted to get it over with. "I didn't hang around long after we…ya know. I told her I had ta split, that I had work the next mornin'." He looked so troubled when he told her, "She started ta cry and begged me ta stay there with her. Shit, I didn't know what the hell ta do. I told her I's sorry and I really was. When she couldn't seem ta stop though, that's when I's sorry I ever went home with her in the first place."

He chewed his lip, rubbed his hand across the back of his neck and continued, "That wasn't the end of it though. She started callin' me twice a day at the shop and at night when I got home. At first I felt sorry for her and I tried ta be nice. I tried remindin' her I'd been honest from the get-go. But shit Baby, it got nasty in a hurry."

He was up and walking around again, and again running a hand roughly through his hair as he continued, "Then she got Amy and Caesar all mixed up in it. She made up some crazy bullshit she told Amy. She said I got her drunk and I made all kinds a promises about feelins I had for her and all kinds of future things we were gonna do together and stuff. She told Amy that's why she gave in and fu…had sex with me."

His head was down and Beth just couldn't take how miserable he seemed. She began rubbing her hand softly across his back and said, "Hey, I get it. You don't have to tell me any more. Just ask me what you want to ask me."

He was stunned she would show him what seemed like affection when he was telling such a shitty story. He looked up into those pretty blue eyes and he was tempted to do what she said, just quit talking. Now that he'd gone as far as he had with it though, he just wanted to get it out there and over with. "No, I ain't done. That ain't all of it."

"Her and Amy were tight friends and Amy believed everythin' her friend told her. She was madder'n hell at me and it showed. The thing is, what pisses Amy off pisses Caesar off so they was both pissed at me. Work was miserable and it got worse."

"This woman started comin' round the shop n stuff, cryin' and carryin' on. I still tried ta be nice, I just wanted her ta go away, ya know? I still thought I could reason with her. Mostly all I could think was how much I wished it never woulda happened. I didn't want no more trouble though so I just kept tryin' ta make it plain ta her in a nice way, well if tellin' someone ta stay the hell away can sound nice. She just wouldn't let up."

"By that time Merle was done with the whole fuckin' thing, over it. He stepped in and told her ta back offa me and stay the hell outta the shop. Shit, even Merle growlin' and mad dawgin' her couldn't make her stop. If she was a guy we woulda gotten rough with her, but we couldn't very well do that with a woman."

"As much as we didn't wanna ta talk ta the cops, we finally had ta talk ta the sheriff. That's when we got a restrainin' order against her. We got one for the shop and I got one for my house, cuz damn if she hadn't started cruisin' by my place at all hours."

He sat down hard, elbows resting on his knees and head in hand. Then he looked at her and told the rest of the story, "Merle was so fuckin' mad he was gunnin' for everyone by then. He wanted ta fire Caesar and Amy both cuz of the way they'd been actin' toward me and makin' things at the shop so miserable for everyone."

"I must be a complete dumb ass cuz I still thought we were all good friends, ya know, like we was just havin' a disagreement over hurt feelins and a misunderstandin'. I's sure it'd all blow over. Shit, I've known Caesar since high school and I took up for him."

Once again she felt the need to offer some kind of comfort, or maybe it was just to show him she wasn't angry or upset. Whatever it was she laid her hand over his. He looked at her, nodded slightly, and went on, "I spoke up for them two against my own brother and now I regret it. I shoulda listened ta Merle. He can spot an asshole a mile away."

"My brother and me did agree on sumthin' though, we had ta get some shit straight with them two. We laid down the law ta them. Merle told em flat out that if any of that bullshit talk ever came up again they were done, outta there. They agreed and they apologized. Things settled down and got back to what they had been. I s'pose the threat of losin' their jobs was what did it."

He chewed on the side of his thumb a minute, thinking and also trying to calm himself down.

"Shit Baby, it was one lousy night five fuckin' years ago. I thought it was finally over back when we had the talk with em. No one's brought it up since then. The real pisser is, and what's got me even madder thinkin' about it right now, is two good men lost their jobs in favor a keepin' Caesar. All because, dammit, I thought he was my friend. I trusted him and Amy with our business, and Merle did cuz I asked him to."

She still had her hand laying on his, and he turned his palm up so he could grasp it, "I want ya ta know a couple things Beth. They ain't pretty, but they're honest. I ain't one ta go around takin' random women home from the bar. Yeah I done it more'n once, but I didn't do it on the regular. The other is, after what Caesar said ta you today I'm all done thinkin' of him as my friend. I'm done bein' nice. I aim ta talk ta him about all of it. Just maybe we'll finally have that partin' of the ways it's lookin' like we shoulda had five years ago."

Beth was far more upset about how shook her husband seemed than anything else, "Daryl, this story, it's so awful, for everyone. I appreciate that you trust me enough to tell me these things. I know it was hard. I'm really sorry your friend let you down, especially when you proved what a good friend you were to him. As for whatever happened between you and some woman five years ago, well…it's not like I thought you'd never been with a woman. I'd probably die of shock if you said you hadn't."

It had been on her mind, bugging her all day, but she surprised herself when she said it out loud, "But honestly, before I heard the story I was feeling kind of jealous, thinking of you with another woman."

That really stunned him and he didn't shy away from telling her, "Jealous? Shit Baby, ya ain't gotta be jealous of anyone. Just look at yourself. Ya got it all Beth."

She was pink cheeked and smiling when she said, "Well gosh, thank you for that Daryl. I want you to know, no matter how you're feeling right now I happen to think you're pretty darn special yourself." They held a look for just a moment and then she asked, "Now what's your question for me?" She figured she knew what she had coming and she was right.

He'd been wanting to ask her since that first night he'd met and married her, "The guy ya seen messin' with the redhead, the one who sent you the text. Was that a pretty serious deal you had goin' with him?" It was one of those things he didn't really want to know, yet he did want to know.

She was as honest as he'd been, "I thought it was going to be. We'd only been dating for a while. It was one of those Saturday night deals. You know, like old school dating. Dinner and a movie every Saturday night. There were a couple of phone calls during the week to say 'hi,' and sometimes when he was working close by we'd meet for lunch. We were taking it real slow because I told him from the start that's what I wanted. He said he was all for that, so we did."

She laughed then, not sure if she really thought she was funny or if it was just nerves when she said, "I guess he meant he wanted to take it slow with me, not with the redhead."

Daryl did his best not to laugh with her, but he was struggling.

She let out a small sigh and said, "Anyway…he seemed really nice and I thought we'd been getting along good. We had a lot of similar interests, blah, blah, blah. But I'd been fooled before and that's why I wanted to take it slow." She paused before adding, "It never got to the point, you know, where we, well you know. If you're wondering, it was never that serious."

"Hey Baby, even if ya said it was it wouldn't make a difference. It ain't like I got any right ta be upset."

She didn't want to tell him but he'd been so honest and she'd watched how much he struggled telling his story. Then there was that other thought in the back of her mind. What if it happened, what if "they" happened and things got serious between them? Yes, it was better to tell him now. Besides, he said they shouldn't keep secrets and she knew he was right, "You might as well know it did go that far with one guy. He turned out to be a creep too."

"A creep?"

"Yeah, a total jerk. It was a guy I dated in college. Of course I know now he was full of crap but at the time I thought he was so sincere, that we 'had something.' He was the kind who always has a lot of compliments and acts all in love, and talks about someday being married and having a family. I swear sometimes I can be so gullible. Anyway, he said it was the real deal, the 'I'll love you forever deal.' To put it bluntly, he lied. I gave in and the so-called love didn't last long after that. He was done with me. Maggie told me those are the guys that teach you not to trust guys."

Daryl's eyes were steely and his hands clinched into fists when he responded, "That ain't a creep Baby, that's a dumb mutherfucker."

She kind of giggled it out, "Yes, exactly." She got a little serious again and told him, "Anyway, I got over it a lot more quickly than I could have imagined. When I thought about it honestly I realized I'd never really been in love with him at all. I was just in love with the idea of being in love."

Daryl looked so confused she almost laughed again, "I know that probably sounds really crazy to you but the simple truth is, I don't think I've ever been in love with anyone." It really was the truth, although she was starting to think she might be falling for her husband. She squeezed his hand and said, "I think the big takeaway from all of this is, the things that have happened to me and to you are behind us. We have to put them in the past where they belong, and keep them there. That's the only way we can move on."

He wasn't sure if she meant what he hoped she meant. He was almost afraid to think there was any way she could. He didn't ask her, he couldn't ask her, but he kept it upbeat. "Yeah, it's you an me together now Baby, against all them marketin' people and the casino folks, the TV people and the picture takers. Together, we got this Beth."

She smiled, "Yes, that's how we're going to make this work Daryl. Together."

He did take one chance, "What your sister said, I just want ya ta know Baby, if nuthin' else, you can trust me."

"I do Daryl."

* * *

Bedtime came and they were both feeling even more confused about feelings, not their own feelings. They'd both started to realize how strong their own feelings were. It was that they each finally realized maybe the other could be having the same feelings they were. They wanted to believe it was true, but there was still that uncertainty.

She used the bathroom, he used the bathroom, and when he came out she was standing there in the hall, like she was waiting for him.

He didn't say anything, he just kept walking toward her until he'd backed her up against the wall, his palms pressed against it and his body pressed into hers. The moment was hot and sexy but his kiss was tentative, almost shy. Then he drew away, said a quick, "Well g'night Beth," and he turned and took a couple of steps toward his room.

She didn't want him to leave her yet, but she didn't feel sure enough of anything to call him back.

He got as far as his bedroom door and stopped. He turned around and quickly had her pinned again. His warm hard body was pressed so close to hers and he kissed her so deeply and with so much passion, she knew then what it meant to go weak in the knees as a warm rush flowed through her body.

The kiss seemed to last a long time, but not a long enough time. When he did draw back he looked in her eyes and in a hoarse and sexy whisper confessed, "I'm gonna miss layin' close to ya tonight Baby."

She couldn't even catch her breath to respond.

Once again he turned away and started to walk across the hall to his room, she had yet to budge. He paused, turned his head to the side, looked over his shoulder, smiled and asked, "Ya think it would be a good idea if we was ta start datin'?"

She found her voice and smiled back, "I think it would be a very good idea."

* * *

After the sexy goodnight they shared she had a terrible time trying to relax and get to sleep. Her whole body seemed to be tingling, begging for more of him. She was sure she'd never forget the sensuality of his kiss or the sexy feeling of his strong body pressed into hers. The more she thought about it the more powerful her longing for him grew, it was all she could do not to get up and go to him.

When she finally did fall asleep she dreamed of his touch and woke feeling embarrassed and hoping like hell she hadn't made the noises out loud that she'd been making in her dream.

She couldn't believe it when she looked at the clock by her bed, seven already! They'd talked about getting an early start. She'd better hurry.

When she opened her bedroom door she could hear him quietly humming. That made her smile and she could tell where the humming came from, he was in the sporting goods room. She walked that way, anxious to see the man who owned her dreams.

* * *

Shit, it was like he was 16 again, he'd gotten hard as a rock just kissing her and feeling her small body pressed up to his. He was sure it was going to be a rough night without her, and it was. He tried getting in bed, hoping he'd sleep. No way. He finally got up, went in the bathroom and did what he needed to do, hoping it would give him some relief so he could sleep.

It didn't work out that way because he realized there was no relief. He couldn't stop thinking about her, how she felt and the sweet taste of her lips on his. He wished he had the balls to do what he wanted to do. Go to her, tell her he had serious feelings for her and let her know that he wanted her. He wanted her in his room, he wanted her in his bed, he wanted her to let him make love to her. He wanted her to stay.

There was just that one problem. No balls. So he lay there sleeping fitfully until he finally gave up at 5am.

* * *

She peeked in the door to see him leaning over a huge tackle box. He appeared to be checking out all the treasures it held. He sensed her and looked up, "Hey, mornin' Baby." She looked so damn good with her hair all messed up and those sleepy blue eyes.

He looked so good to her, still in his flannel bottoms and showing off that beautiful upper body. "Good morning yourself Honey. I'm sorry I slept so late but I promise it won't take me long to get ready."

"Not a problem. There's fresh coffee and I left some bacon in the oven for ya. I wasn't sure what the hell ta do with yogurt n berries so I didn't do nuthin' with em at all."

He always made her laugh and that always made everything seem even better. "Thank you Daryl, that was very thoughtful. How soon do you want to leave?"

"I don't wanna rush ya. Can ya be ready in an hour?"

"A lot less time than that."

His look was curious when he asked, "Do ya eat that frozen yogurt stuff too? I see them places all over."

She smiled and told him, "I do and it's delicious. The best part is I get to lie to myself. I tell myself it's healthy. I mean it's not ice cream, right? In the meantime I'm piling on the sprinkles and M&Ms and crushed Oreos, maybe even a few gummy bears."

"No shit? They put all that on frozen yogurt? In that case I could take ya sometime and I'd just eat the toppins'."

He had her giggling again, "Sounds good to me. So, what're you doing there?"

"Just checkin' everythin' out. I's thinkin' about goin' fishin' Saturday. There's a nice little creek with some pretty good action only about a thirty minute drive from here. Well then ya gotta hike in a mile or so, but it ain't a bad walk. Over the years I've managed ta flatten it into a pretty good footpath."

He shrugged and said, "The fish ain't real big but they like ta fight and that's the fun of catchin' em. I put most of what I catch back anyway. I only keep what I plan ta eat that day." He looked kind of shy when he asked, "Ya think ya might wanna go do sumthin like that?"

"Sure it sounds like fun. Is that going to be our first date, going fishing?"

He looked a little embarrassed but he smiled, "Yeah, I only take people I really like ta my favorite fishin' holes."

"Well it's good to know you really like me." They both turned a little pink on that and then she said, "and I can make us a nice picnic lunch, fried chicken, potato salad, deviled eggs, maybe I could even get you to eat some fruit."

"All that just ta go fishin'?"

"Well Daryl we'll be out in the wilderness fishing all day, we're going to need to eat aren't we?"

She looked so damn cute and so enthusiastic he didn't want to be the asshole who darkened the day, "Yeah, it really does sound good. I usually just take a bologna sandwich."

"Well that settles it then. I don't eat bologna so we're having chicken."

He was working hard at not laughing when she added, "It's going to be so fun, and you know what would make it even more fun?"

"What's that Baby?"

"If we stopped for some frozen yogurt on the way home."

Now he was laughing, "I walked right into that one, didn't I? I won't argue with ya this time Baby, but they better have plenty a them M&Ms and gummy bears ready."

She was smiling so pretty and she looked so happy. He walked over to her and slipped one arm around her waist resting his open palm on the small of her back. His other hand was in her hair, fingers working their way through the morning mess of her blonde curls. He gave her a long, slow and tender kiss before drawing back far enough to look in her eyes, smile and say it again, "Mornin' Baby."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Guess what - I have another very early morning next Friday so - the next chapter, number 10, will post on Thursday. YeeHaw!
> 
> Progress has been made! They've caught a clue :) Please leave a comment / review and let me know your thoughts. Next chapter we've got a confrontation coming with Caesar and Amy, and maybe a little more Bethyl romance. Changes too, big changes :) I hope to see you all back here next Thursday when once again we pretend it's Friday. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much. Once again it is Friday on Thursday! Our couple have gotten very open and honest with each other and that continues in this chapter. They'll finish getting her things moved, make a trip to the savings and loan and the bank, all followed by a nasty confrontation with Caesar and Amy. Work and life decisions will be made. Oh yeah, and Merle's home :)

00

She'd slid across the bench seat and settled in next to him. He'd seen couples ride around like that, sitting so close together. He never thought he'd care for it until he discovered how nice it was to have his wife sitting practically thigh to thigh with him.

It was just 7:45am when they pulled out of the driveway but there was already a crowd milling around out front. It seemed there were even more people than the day before and that surprised Daryl, he'd expected interest to start dying down. Beth reminded him the TV commercial they made was playing practically non-stop, and the photos of their wedding and the trip home had been the lead story in that week's People magazine.

It must have been the crowd that brought the thought to mind and he asked her, "Whaddya s'pose all those folks would think if they knew the real story bout you n me?"

Her answer got to his heart, "I don't think even we know the real story Daryl. Not yet. We're still figuring it out." Then she teased just a little, "We haven't even had our first date."

She had him smiling both inside and out, "Yeah well, we're gonna change that soon." Then it was his turn to get serious and sincere, "It's just gonna be the first one of a lotta dates Baby. I mean, that's what I'm hopin'." He kept surprising himself with the things he felt and the things he said to her. He was a man who'd never had any kind of real relationship with a woman, never really dated, never cared to, yet he couldn't wait for this date with her. For everything with her. He was into the closeness, into the feeling and into her. He seemed to forget about the crowd as he leaned in and kissed the top of her head, whispering, "Ya sure have gotten to me Baby."

The curiosity seekers on the sidewalk immediately responded to his show of affection with whoops and clapping. It was a harsh reminder in a tender moment, but the couple did their job. They smiled and waved to the group like having people watching their every move was somehow a normal part of daily life.

He spotted T-Dog across the street, trying to keep it inconspicuous while keeping a close eye on the scene. As Daryl pulled out of the driveway the bodyguard slipped in behind the pickup, following two car lengths behind as they made the drive to Beth's apartment.

They pulled in the parking lot and were surprised to see a few people milling around in front of her place too. The group was quiet and respectful and the couple took some quick pictures with those who asked. T-Dog followed just a few steps behind them and stood just outside the apartment door while they went in.

Daryl had no idea what in the apartment was hers, what she wanted to keep, and what she wanted to donate. He was just about to ask her when he noticed the melancholy look come over her face. The thought hit him hard in the heart, shit, she hadn't wanted to move at all.

He swallowed and asked, "I thought you was okay with movin' Beth. Are ya havin' second thoughts?"

She had such a sad little smile on her lips when she looked up at him with those big blue eyes and answered, "No, not at all. I love your house and I'm happy being there with you. I'm just feeling a little sad because this was my first, the one and only little place I've ever had of my own. I still remember when I told the landlord, 'I'll take it.' Oh my gosh, it was such a big deal for me when I moved in. I felt so independent and grown up." She let her hand slim along the outside of his arm when she added, "That's all it is Honey, just memories."

He seemed to know what to do without thinking he knew anything at all. His arm slipped across her shoulders and he gently pulled her close to his chest. He bent down, used his forefinger to nudge her chin up, and gave her a warm and tender kiss. Then he reminded her, "I told ya before Baby, it ain't my house anymore. It's our home and I promise I'ma do everythin' I can ta make ya happy ya gave this up."

She couldn't believe she did it right then and there, but she did. She expressed what had become her biggest fear, "Yes, sure, it's our home for a year, but then what? What if you decide it should go back to being just your home? I'll be the one looking for a new place."

He drew back from her and tried not to sound as angry as he felt when asked, "Is that what ya think this is? Is that what ya think a me? That I'ma just throw ya outta the house when the year's up?" He shook his head trying to shake away his anger and just talk to her, "Seems ta me like we been talkin' a lot, and tellin' each other a lotta secrets for two people who're already countin' the days until one of em leaves."

"Daryl, I'm not counting the days I'm just being realistic. I mean, sure it all seems fun and new now, but how do I know you'll…that it will last? I mean we just have a handshake deal, something we decided on in Vegas so we could get the million dollars."

Any other time that probably would have had him spitting nails, but not this time. He got where it came from. He'd spent several days being consumed by his own uncertainty.

He nodded as he drew her back in and held her tight. He saw it clearly now, "Shit Baby, it sounds like ya been as worried as me. Yeah, we made a deal in Vegas, but that's before we started datin' n makin' plans ta eat frozen yogurt together n shit like that. How bout we make us a new deal? We'll see if we can make these feelins we got between us work. Wanna?"

"Yes Daryl, I do want to." It was her turn to pull away a little and she rested her hand on his cheek as she spoke, "I like this new deal much better and I want it to work."

Now that they'd both told the truth about their worries and their feelings he couldn't believe how much more free he felt with her. His accidental wife. But he did and he smiled, "I think we better have a kiss ta seal this new deal."

The brief conversation had eased a lot of tension for each of them. They were both interested in seeing where all the honesty they'd shared, and all the feelings they were having would lead them.

It didn't take them long to load up the few kitchen items, knickknacks and some linens she no longer cared to keep. They dropped everything off at the donation center and from there they were on their way to the savings and loan.

T-Dog seemed to be loosening up around them, at least a little. As they got to the door of the savings and loan he smiled at Daryl and said, "I'll be waiting just outside. Bank people get nervous when someone walks in with a gun."

As soon as they entered a woman of about 50, and dressed in a very conservative manner, practically jumped as she got up from her desk and hurried over to them. She was obviously excited and talking fast when she said, "Hello! Welcome! I know who you are! Everyone who watches TV or reads People magazine knows who you are. The newlywed millionaires! I'm Shelly Neudermeyer, the Branch Manager. Is it too much to hope you're here to make a deposit?"

Beth wanted to say a lot of things but she kept it civil. She did her best to remind herself what happened with her father was not this particular woman's fault. "Hi I'm Beth Dixon," she handed the woman a paper and stated her business, "This is a copy of the demand letter your company sent my father regarding his loan. I'm here to pay off the balance just like it says."

That's when the woman got serious and truly began to act like the savings and loan branch manager. She studied the paper, smiled widely and said, "You know you really don't have to do that. You could just get everything caught up and then begin making the regular monthly payments. That way you wouldn't have to part with so much of your money all at one time."

Daryl and Beth saw what was happening quite clearly. Now that it was known they had money the rules had changed and suddenly the savings and loan wasn't demanding all of the money at once. Before Beth could react Daryl was speaking up, "Yeah right. That sounds like a big win for you and a big loss for us. We'd be payin' that high interest rate every month and never get the damn note paid off. Just tell us what's owed and let's do this thing. We got other places ta be."

Beth just looked at him in wonder. In some ways he seemed so shy but when the need arose her husband wasn't shy at all about stepping up and setting people straight.

As they walked hand in hand back to the pickup, Beth suddenly stopped and his concern was immediate, "Everythin' okay Baby?"

"Things couldn't get much better Daryl. The weight of the world has just been lifted off my shoulders. Thank you so much for agreeing to this. I'm so happy we could do it for Daddy."

"Ya don't gotta thank me Baby, it's the right thing ta do and I'm glad we could too." His finger was crooked under her chin again and again he nudged it up enough to give her a tender little kiss, "Now let's go ta my bank and pay off OUR house. Then I'ma take ya ta see the motorcycle business ya married."

00

Beth could tell by the way her husband talked about his business how proud it made him and how much he loved it. It was another part of Daryl for her to get to know and understand and she was excited to finally see the place for herself.

She was also nervous. She would have been nervous anyway, but now that she knew about Caesar and Amy setting Daryl up with Amy's friend, and how badly it had all gone, she was almost scared to meet the woman. Not to mention her apprehension at seeing Caesar again. She reminded herself Daryl would be there with her. How bad could it be?

As they turned the corner she saw the sign, _Road Ragin'_ , and it almost made her laugh because the name seemed so perfect for Daryl. She remembered how he'd 'opened up' the bike on their ride to Hoover Dam.

As they got closer to the parking entrance what they saw took the couple by surprise. There was a large crowd of people standing around out front. It was the biggest group Daryl had seen since they were in Las Vegas. It was obvious T-Dog had seen what they saw and he reacted quickly. By the time Daryl had turned off the ignition the bodyguard was already out of the sedan and on point, just in case. Daryl saw it clearly then, T-Dog really was a professional, spotting potential trouble before it ever started.

The big bodyguard was cordial but all serious business when he held his arms up, palms facing the crowd as he instructed, "Hey folks, we know you're curious and we appreciate you wanting to see Daryl and Beth. I think if you can all be a little patient they'll have a minute or two to let you get a picture. Right now, I'd appreciate it if you stepped back. Let's all try to stay at least 20 ft from the entry door. We have to keep in mind, this is a place of business. Thank you now."

Daryl and Beth were still sitting in the cab of the pickup, watching and listening. Daryl worried that with so many people crowding in there could be problems. Even if most of them were good folks it just takes one asshole to start trouble. Once that happens it's not long before the whole scene is out of control.

He didn't tell her that. He had faith that between T-Dog and himself they could keep Beth safe. Still, he didn't want her to do anything she didn't feel comfortable doing. Screw the casino people. If she wanted him to, he'd just put it in gear and drive off. He kept his voice low when he said to her, "Shit Baby, I had no idea all these folks would show up here. Ya feel okay bout doin' like T-Dog said? Just let em get a picture?"

"Yes I think so, as long as you're right there with me. Maybe getting pictures and autographs will make them happy and they'll go home."

"Yeah. Yeah. Okay Baby, I'll keep hold of ya."

He helped her down, held tight to her hand and she wrapped the other around his arm. They knew what was expected of them, not by these folks, they figured most of these people were just hopeful and curious. They knew what was expected of them by Carol and the casino people. They smiled and they got their pictures taken and Daryl even managed to say, "Hey y'all, we appreciate it, thanks for the good wishes. I gotta get ta work now."

They walked in the door and she was amazed and impressed by what she saw, it was so different than what she'd expected. She thought it would simply be a mechanic's garage, but it was so much more than that.

Motorcycle helmets, seats, saddlebags, packs and other accessories all hung along the left wall. Freestanding racks held shirts, jackets and vests. There was even a lady's section.

On the right was a tall sales counter and beyond that were two rows of brand new and super shiny motorcycles. Just beyong the retail part of the shop there was a wall with the upper half all in thick, clear plexiglass. She could see through it to what was the maintenance, repair and customizing section of the building.

There was a door behind the sales counter that Beth guessed led to an office. Just as she was about to ask Daryl a blonde woman came walking through it. Beth almost let out a gasp when she saw her, it was a woman she knew.

She and Daryl got to the counter at just about the same time the woman did. Beth was glad her husband was next to her and still had hold of her hand. He started to say, "Amy I'd like ya ta meet…"

Amy interrupted, "I know who your wife is Daryl. She's Beth Greene. We went to the same high school and our sisters are friends."

Daryl didn't miss the nasty tone in Amy's voice and when he glanced at Beth he thought she looked even more pale than usual. He didn't want to ask her and possibly make things worse so he spoke to Amy, "Oh yeah? Same class?"

Beth wasn't giving up that easy, she was determined to appear calm and self-assured. She answered first, "No, just the same school. Amy graduated the year before I started my freshman year."

She wasn't sure why Amy looked and seemed so angry, not until the other woman answered, "Our sisters were two years ahead of me. I know who Beth is because their friends. By the way Daryl, my sister is Andrea Harrison. She told me she met you on the Vegas trip and I wasn't surprised when she said you were rude to her."

All he could think was, "well fuck me, this is about ta get interestin'."

He was still trying to keep it mellow though, "Yeah, I did meet her. I didn't know she was your sister and I didn't think I's rude either." He couldn't resist adding, "She's kinda the extra friendly type."

Maybe it was a tension release, maybe it was the way he said it, whatever it was Beth couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing. That got to Daryl and he wasn't successful at holding back either, there were a couple of unmistakable snorts.

Amy didn't think any of it was funny, she was angry, "Well Daryl we all know about you and your problem, you wouldn't know a good woman if you saw one. Now that you're rich and famous I'm sure it's only going to get worse. No offense and all Beth, but don't be shocked when he leaves you high and dry."

It was the perfect storm. Caesar had just come in from the mechanic area and was walking toward his wife. Merle had just driven in the lot, just back from the Vegas trip, and was walking in the back door, heading up front to talk to his brother. T-Dog, who was thinking about going after some lunch, had just walked in the front door to see if he had time to grab something before the newlyweds wanted to leave again.

Meanwhile Amy, who had been on the fight from the start was now breathing fire, and what she'd said had Daryl so fucking mad he was ready to lash out. But he was also a business owner. His mind was made up about what needed to be done, but he knew he had to be careful about everything he said and did. The last thing him and Merle needed was to have the labor board coming down on them and their business.

There were two things he was sure of, Caesar and Amy had to go, and whatever he said or did, Merle would back him. His voice was calm but there was an unmistakably harsh tone when he said, "Caesar and Amy, a decision has been made. We think it's best if we all part ways now. Merle will help ya get your stuff together while I cut ya each a severance check."

For some reason Amy focused her anger right on Beth. She rushed quickly toward her pointing a finger and yelling, "I know this was all your idea!"

Daryl hurried to get between the two women, T-Dog had the same idea and the two men nearly collided in their efforts. The bodyguard appeared calm as he tried to keep the situation from getting out of control. He spoke to Amy firmly but politely, "Step back please Miss."

Daryl was so busy keeping an eye on that situation he didn't see Caesar reach his arm back to take a swing. Merle was rushing that way but by the time his brother got too him it was done. Caesar had landed a hard punch to the side of Daryl's head. Daryl went down but he was right back up and no longer showing restraint. He and Caesar were trading angry blows.

Amy was yelling, Beth was frightened and felt frozen in place, and T-Dog called to Merle, "Grab your brother, I got this other one."

Merle and T-Dog got the men apart but from the corner of his eye Daryl saw movement and turned to see Amy try to take a swing at Beth, "Lemme go Merle, Beth's gonna get hurt."

She surprised him though. Beth had a move or two of her own. She managed to dodge the swing and stick a leg out, causing Amy to trip and giving Daryl enough time to get there and get in between the women. He tried to be a gentleman, hoping the fighting was over as he helped Amy up. She wasn't ready to quit. Once on her feet the woman punched him in the gut a couple of times and beat her fists on his chest, while yelling every kind of obscenity at him.

By then Merle had made a call to the sheriff's office.

He never thought seeing law enforcement would make him happy, but he was real happy when Sheriff Grimes and his deputy showed up. The brothers told the man they had no desire to see Caesar and Amy arrested. They simply wanted the pair to leave the premises with their personal belongings, their severance checks, and agree to never set foot on the property again.

The deputy went with Merle to watch Caesar get his things, and make certain that it was only his own things he took. The sheriff accompanied Amy to her office, not allowing her to touch a computer or a file as she gathered her purse, a few photos and her coffee mug.

Daryl kept a firm grip on her hand as he and Beth walked to his office. He shut the door and they both let out a heavy sigh, it was almost over now and they were alone. He put his arm across her shoulders and said, "I'm sorry Baby, but damn girl, you're tough. You're alright though? You're not hurt are ya?"

"No I'm fine, I promise. I'm a little shook up and I can't believe what just happened, but I'm fine. What about you? That was a nasty fight." She felt shaky but didn't want him worrying about her, "Oh my gosh Daryl, what a mess."

He nodded and responded, "I'm fine Baby and it's done now. I guess it always was doomed ta end bad." She stood by as he wrote out the severance checks and when he tore them from the register he said, "The mess is about ta leave the buildin' for good." He kissed her cheek and said, "You wait here Baby, I'll be back in a minute."

She sat in his chair still nervous and a little shaky, but curious to take in her surroundings. The office was just big enough to hold the two old fashioned wood desks she guessed must be fifty years old. But they didn't look it, the wood finish had been beautifully restored. They were butted up together so that the occupants faced each other. She assumed the other desk was Merle's and the layout made her smile, it was the way they designed offices before cubicles were invented.

Both desks were tidy, pencil cups, staplers, scotch tape and on Daryl's a brochure about diagnostic computers and a spiral notebook opened to a page full of information he'd jotted down. There were two large wood file cabinets, a big clock on the wall that said _Triumph_ on the face, and a wall calendar featuring a very hot, and only partially clothed woman reclining on the seat of a big Harley.

It was just about twenty minutes later when the brothers walked in. She stood as Daryl came toward her and wrapped a protective arm around her waist. Merle said, "Helluva a first day back, hey brother?" Then he smiled at Beth as he lightly touched her arm and said, "Sorry little one, that was a mighty rough introduction ta the family business."

"It's good to see you home safe Merle, and I'm so glad you got here when you did."

Beth sat quietly watching and listening as her husband and his brother tried to decide what to do next.

The concern Daryl felt could be seen on his face when he looked at his brother and asked, "Now what Merle? There ain't too much work right now but February is only a week away. It's gonna kick back up, plus when we get this computer and tools it's gonna bring in a lotta new, different business. We gotta get ready, get the shop laid out right for it all, plus get the work done we got and the regular work that comes in. It's too much for you n me ta handle alone." He was chewing on the side of his thumb when he added, "And we damn sure ain't suited ta the front office part."

Merle considered the options as he ran a hand over the back of his head. "Ya want me ta call Tobin and Jim, see if either of ums still lookin' for work?"

"Yeah, sure. They're both good men. We shoulda kept em and cut Caesar loose, like ya said."

"Hey little brother, you was a good friend ta Caesar. Don't be mad at yourself for that. Good friends are a rare find, his loss."

Merle made the calls and it was a 'no' from Tobin, he'd found work. Jim picked up on the first ring and said, "Hell yeah, I haven't found nuthin' steady. How soon can I start back?"

Merle smiled, "We'll see ya in the mornin', seven sharp like always. Lookin' forward ta havin' ya back man."

Then Merle got that smile that Daryl knew meant "big idea," and that's just what his brother had, "I got an idea for another hire."

Daryl shrugged, "Yeah, well we need help so I'm all ears."

"Abe don't leave for Boise til first a next week, maybe he'd wanna leave for Georgia instead."

"Hell yeah if he's willin' I'd go for that."

Merle made the call while Daryl and Beth quietly waited to hear Abe's answer. Merle was all smiles and loud talk as they worked it out over the phone, "Yeah, yeah that's right, baby brother's a millionaire, but I ain't. We'll just be payin' the goin' wage." He laughed and added, "Benefits? Hell yeah, there's benefits. Ya get ta look at my pretty face every day." Merle laughed that laugh again, listened a minute and said, "I knew ya couldn't resist. We'll see ya in a few days. Travel safe brutha."

He looked at Daryl, smiled and said, "Just that easy little brother."

"That's great, glad he's comin' but what about front office and retail? Shit, Amy was…well she was what she was but she could do the retail sales, answer the phone and keep the books."

Merle shook his head, "Damn little brother, where's your head at? This is a family business, ain't it? Your pretty little wife is a bookkeeper and I'd wager she's answered a phone call or two. We can teach her what she needs ta know about the products she'll be sellin'. I'd also be willin' ta wager a guess that with her sweet nature she'll sell more a that shit than Amy ever did."

He was afraid to ask, afraid she'd say no, but Daryl did it, "Would ya wanna Beth?"

He was thrilled to see that big bright smile when she answered, "Heck yes. Ever since I got fired from my last job I've been hoping a new one would fall in my lap."

He didn't care that Merle was there. Daryl smiled, cupped her face in his hands and let his fingers slide back into her blonde curls as he gave her a kiss so full of passion she would have sworn she felt it right down to her toes.

Merle just smiled and teased, "Guess that means we got us a deal. Now get on out ta the store and get her the clothes she needs for work and some ridin' stuff. I gotta go. I got a little sumthin' waitin' for me over at the Starlight Motel."

In the meantime T-Dog was still keeping an eye on the front door while also taking care of another important part of his job. He made a phone call to his boss. "Carol?..." He told her what happened, listened to her reply and said, "Yeah, okay, have a nice flight and I'll see you first thing in the morning."

00

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Next week - once again - we will celebrate Friday on Thursday. I do believe that will be the end of that :)  
> Thank you all so much for reading, please leave a comment or review. More decisions, more date talk, a chat about camping, and more getting close, oh yes, and Carol's about to arrive in town. I hope you'll stop by again next Thursday for the next chapter of Lady Luck. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday on Thursday one more time! Thank you all so much. We had quite the scene last chapter. Beth has a new job and Abe is on his way. This chapter Daryl is going to explain a little about his role at Road Ragin', and Beth is going to come clean about her feelings regarding a certain favorite activity. Our couple are going to share some "moments." Oh yeah, and Carol arrives. For now we're picking up right where we left off, in the Dixon brother's office.

00

Merle's mention of someone waiting at the Starlight Motel hadn't gone unnoticed. Daryl's concern about his brother and Frankie rose to the surface on that news. "Ya ain't gonna get yourself in a jam with that one are ya?"

"C'mon little brother, ya know me better'n that. I always play it straight with the ladies. Shit and this time I didn't even hafta be the one ta be honest. She beat me ta the punch, told me right up front she was only lookin' ta play around a time or two." His smile grew when he added, "I been a lotta things in my life but I ain't never been someone's 40 year old boy toy." He laughed so hard Beth couldn't help giggling along with him.

Daryl was fighting it hard, determined not to laugh at his brother's humor and trying to sound serious when he said, "Yeah? Well go play, but play safe. And leave the trailer and bikes in the shop, would ya? I need ta get me an Beth out for a ride soon."

"Done brother."

She witnessed it again, that little bit of affection they so rarely showed. The brothers grasped each other's hand, bumped shoulders and clapped backs, all of it taking place in no more than five seconds. Daryl nodded as he said, "Good ta have ya home brother."

Merle nodded back, "Good ta be here brother."

He turned to leave but Beth stopped him, she had a concern, "Merle, before you go there's something we need to take care of. I've noticed three desktop computers, one for each of you and one Amy used. We're going to need to change the passwords right away."

Merle shrugged, "What's the rush little one? Amy's gone."

"She's gone from here but for all we know she has access to all your business records and accounts from a home computer. I don't think you want a disgruntled former employee having a chance at accessing anything. It will just take me a minute to change them."

Merle nodded, smiled at his brother and said, "See there? I knew she was the right woman for the job."

When the passwords were changed and Merle closed the door behind himself, Daryl held his hand out to her helping her to her feet. As they stood facing one another he laid his hands lightly on his wife's shoulders, chewed his lip a minute and delivered a little bit of bad news.

"We got a problem Baby. Our workin' hours round here are different. Saturday's our biggest day and everyone works, 'cept Jim. Jim'll be the only one workin' on our slowest day, Monday. We're closed all day on Sunday."

"When we talked about fishin' I's thinkin' not ta start back ta work til next week. With the way things all came down though, it'll be all hands on deck for the next several days while we try'n get reorganized. I'm real sorry Baby, for both of us, but yeah, we ain't gonna be able ta go fishin' on Saturday. "

He ran a hand through messy hair as he continued, "We gotta spend Sunday with your Dad like we said we would. Monday I need ta be here and so will you. It's only gonna be this way for the next week though. After that, we'll be off on Sundays and Mondays."

She was disappointed but she understood, "I was looking forward to a day away with you, but gosh I know it can't be helped. The business has to come before the fun. I kind of like the idea of a Sunday and Monday weekend, I won't mind the work schedule at all."

"Thanks for understandin' Baby. I'll tell ya what, next weekend, if you can miss church, we could leave Saturday right after work. We'll drive out ta the fishin' hole, I'll set up the tent and we'll camp out. We'll have all day Sunday and half a Monday ta do some fishin', maybe do a little walkin' round, checkin' stuff out. I know some cool spots and it'll be fun. It's cold out but we can have a campfire. We don't have ta come home til Monday afternoon. Whaddya think?"

She looked like she'd seen a monster, "Sleep outside? On the ground? In the dirt with the bugs and the snakes and the…the stuff? Uhh…"

She was so damn cute with that horrified look on her face he almost laughed. He knew better though, he didn't even mention it. Instead he tried to understand the problem, "Baby, ya grew up on a farm, I figured ya slept outside more'n once."

"I did grow up on a farm and I had my jobs to do, but except for feeding the chickens, gathering eggs and helping with the vegetable garden, for me it was all cooking and cleaning."

She was looking shook and talking fast, "I slept outside in a tent with Maggie once, down by the pond on our farm. I thought it was going to be such a fun adventure. It wasn't, at least not for me. The ground was so hard I couldn't sleep and I got so many bug bites it was awful. The worst was…well…oh shoot, I'll just say it. The worst part was having to go potty outside in the dark. I, well it was terrible. I just…I don't want to be a spoil sport Daryl, but I guess I'm not very outdoorsy."

"I'm sorry."

She was so fuckin' cute and she looked so pitiful. There was no way he could be mad at her. This was another lesson in the differences between them, and the things they still had to learn about each other. He held her close to his chest and tried to make it alright, "Hey Baby, c'mon now. I damn sure don't want ya doin' sumthin' ya hate just ta make me happy."

"It's not fair though. I don't want you to miss out on doing what you love just to make me happy."

That's when the idea came to him, but he didn't tell her quite yet. First, he'd see if he could make it happen. In the meantime he told her, "Don't worry about it. If we can't figure out how ta make the campin' work we can still take a day and do like we planned, picnic n fish. K?"

"Yes, okay. I'd like that. Are you sure you're not mad Daryl? I wouldn't blame you."

"No, I ain't mad Baby. I'm glad you was honest with me. I want us ta have some fun together and that ain't gonna happen if you're miserable."

After a moment he drew away again, but not far. Again he rested his hands on her shoulders, looked in her eyes and expressed another concern, "What about all this? Ya sure about workin' here Baby? Ya ain't gotta. Ya know that, right? Me n Merle can call an agency and hire someone. It don't have ta be you steppin' in."

She was already emotional and she took what he said all wrong. The tears in her eyes and the quiver in her voice gave away how hurt she felt, "I thought you wanted me here Daryl. If you don't, I can find something else."

"Baby, nah. Shit ya know that ain't what I meant. A course I want ya here. I just wanna be sure it's what you want. That's all."

Her hand was on her hip and she got a little sassy with him, "Well why would I want to be anywhere besides with you Mister Dixon?"

He smiled, he even laughed a little. Then he scooped her up in his arms and held her close whispering, "Damn girl, how the hell am I gonna get any work done with you around?"

He took her small slim face in big broad hands, leaned down and kissed her with as much passion as he showed the night before. Instantly she felt warm, needy and his hand slowly slid down her back until his fingers slipped inside the waistband of her jeans. As the heat between them rose she felt her body move closer to his.

She liked the feel of the rough calloused skin of his fingers teasing her delicate flesh, and she realized something. She could put up with sleeping any place any time if Daryl was with her. Laid out in his office, in a fancy Vegas hotel room, in his small bed or even on the ground in the wilderness. Just as long as he was kissing her, holding her, touching her.

As much as he hated to, he knew if he didn't stop he might never be able to. He forced himself to pull away, "We'd better get out there and pick your work clothes."

Beth was confused, "Work clothes? Is there a uniform I have to wear?"

"Well nah, it's not like that. It's…ya saw we're sellin' clothes n stuff so it's kinda like when ya work you'll be modelin' em. You'll be wearin' the clothes, lookin' all cute n stuff, guys come in and they think their woman would look good in a t-shirt or pants like what you're wearin', so they buy em. They make points at home and we make money."

He shrugged matter-of-factly and added, "Women come in with their man and he spends all the money they got on a brand new bike for himself, or on gettin' the bike he already paid top dollar for customized. That's a whole lotta money so when his woman points at your feet and says, 'I want some boots like the ones she's wearin',' he can't very well say no, can he now?"

"Oh my gawd, what made you think of all that?"

"I didn't. Merle did." He smiled, "Ain't that a joke? Merle Dixon's our marketin' genius at Road Ragin'. He just didn't explain it ta me quite as...um...clean as I did ta you."

She shook her head but she was smiling, she could only imagine what Merle might have said. She had other questions though. "So you're a motorcycle mechanic and so is Merle, is that right?"

"Here's how it's s'posed ta work, how we planned it from the start. Jim, Caesar and the other mechanic we lost, they all did the regular work. Service type stuff like ya have done when ya take your car in, and also if there's some mechanical trouble."

"Merle can do all that stuff, but what Merle's a master at is repairin' damage. Merle can make just about any bike look brand new again. Even the ones that've been totaled by insurance companies."

"That's impressive, and what about you Daryl? What's your area of expertise?"

"Area of expertise huh? That sounds real fancy. Well, like Merle and the other guys I can do all the service and mechanical repairs, but what I'm best known for, what guys come ta me for, is custom work. I don't like braggin' on myself, but I can build ya a motorcycle from a box a leftover parts."

She was smiling, she liked hearing him talk himself up a little. "Oh yeah, tell me more."

"Sometimes it's just little stuff. Guys like ta buy new stuff ta make their bike look custom, even if it ain't really. A different gas tank, a fancy seat or new handlebars. You'd think guys would change out that shit themselves, but I guess they like payin' ta have someone else do it. I'm the someone else."

He shrugged and added, "Then there's guys that got money ta burn and they can't seem ta burn it fast enough. They'll buy a real nice and real expensive bike, let's say a brand new Harley Softail Classic. That's a beautiful machine but they wanna chop it. Sometimes I think the changes they want me ta make are plain stupid, but they ain't payin' for my opinion."

He got so serious. She knew he wasn't used to bragging on himself, and he also looked self-conscious. "None a that is my biggest payday though. My biggest jobs and highest payin' jobs, and they can take weeks ta do, are when I build a guy a bike from the ground up. Totally his, a one of a kind. I got one contracted for right now for a guy outta Tennessee. I did a bike for a friend a his and now he wants one similar. He came by ta talk about it just before Merle and me took off on the road trip. We was already packed and ready ta go. I told the guy I couldn't start until February 1st and he was cool with that. It's what I'll mostly be workin' on these next few weeks."

She took his hand in both of hers, leaned up and kissed him. "Wow Honey, I'm really impressed. I can't wait to see your work."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He looked happy, proud and a little embarrassed, "I'll show ya some pictures later. For now, let's get ya those work clothes."

As they looked through the clothing displays he surprised her. He seemed to have some pretty definite ideas about what he'd like her to wear, and it was him pulling items off the racks. There were tight blue jeans and black jeans that laced up the sides, even a pair of black leather chaps. There were v-neck tees with the words Road Ragin' and the logo on them, there were black boots, a wide black belt with rivets and a tight-fitting black leather moto jacket.

The last thing he picked out was a black helmet with hot pink flames. He smiled when he handed it to her, "I promised ya a new helmet in Vegas. If ya like it, this one should fit ya."

"I can see you know just what I like, and I like that one a lot. Thank you Honey."

She went in the dressing room to try it all on and when she came out dressed in the tight blue jeans, a black tee, the boots, the belt, the jacket and the chaps he almost backed off the idea completely. She looked too damn hot and sexy to be working. He wanted to tell her never mind, wear that yellow dress she'd worn to her Daddy's. Instead he just told her what he was thinking, "Damn Baby, you're on fire."

"Really? I don't look dumb?"

"Dumb? Fuck no. I know for sure now, I ain't gonna be able ta keep my mind on my work for lookin' at ya. I'll be havin' all kindsa thoughts and ideas."

"Daryl…" She was bright red, "I don't have to wear this stuff, you're the one who picked it all out."

He smiled as he let his finger slowly glide along her jawline. "Yeah, you're right Baby, and I can see by lookin' at ya what a good job I done. I think ya should wear it, 'cept the chaps. They're for when we go on road trips." Then he bit his lip, winked and said, "Or in the bedroom. They'd look real good there."

Before she could respond to his remark he'd bent down and was kissing her hard. When he finally came up for air, she watched him slowly slide his tongue across his bottom lip while staring at her with hungry eyes, his voice a little gravely when he said, "Shit, with the way ya look Baby, I'm bettin' clothin' sales are about ta double. Triple."

00

They got in the pickup to head home when he thought better, "ya know we had us a helluva day today Baby. We paid off your Daddy's loan, my loan, we fired the help, we got new help includin' you. I even got ta order my dream tools and computer. Whaddya say we go ahead and have that first date right now? I think we got a steak comin'. Wanna?"

She was beaming, "You're right Daryl, we should. And it sounds yummy."

They drank wine while he ate the big porterhouse and she ate the salmon. Then his nerves showed themselves again, "You're sure ya wanna do this this Beth? Work in a motorcycle shop?"

"Didn't we already talk about this? I said I do and why wouldn't I want to? It seems kind of fun and perfect and like Merle said, we're keeping it a family business." The minute the words were out of her mouth the doubt hit her, "Are you sure this isn't about you not wanting me there? Because like I said, if you don't, then I don't want to be there."

"C'mon now Baby, ya gotta know better'n that. A course I want ya there, it's just...well ya know most a the customers are just regular guys and gals who like bikes. They like the machine and they like the ride. But we get some real assholes comin' in and some real rough, real bad ass dudes. I just worry that part might not be ta your likin'."

Now that she knew the real problem she thought she might have the right response. She reached across the table and laid her hand on his, "Honey, I can handle a lot more than you think I can. I'm pretty darn good at speaking up for myself. If some guy gets out of line I won't be afraid to tell him to knock it off." She smiled and added, "If he doesn't quit, I know the owners and I know they'll kick that guy's ass."

He laughed as he took her hand, raised it to his lips and kissed the palm of it, tongue and all. A tingle shot through her through turned to an excited shiver when he said, "Believe it Baby, I know you're tough. Shit, ya kicked my ass the first time ya smiled at me." His look turned intense when he let her know, "Ya got me Baby. All a me."

* * *

On the way home he pulled in the lot of a strip mall and she started laughing so hard she had tears. "Really Daryl?! You never stop surprising me."

"Good. C'mon, you can help me figure out what ta order."

It was getting close to closing time at "Kat's Frozen Yogurt and Smoothies," and there were no other customers,

"So Honey, if it was ice cream would you order chocolate or vanilla?"

"Chocolate."

She ordered his cup of chocolate, herself a cup of vanilla and told the young girl behind the counter, "And we're each going to have three toppings." They paid and then she walked him over to the bins containing all the toppings. "Okay Daryl, you get three."

She watched as he loaded on as many M&Ms and chocolate chips as the cup could hold, then got a big scoop of gummy bears, put them in his hand and popped them all in his mouth at once. With cheeks full of candy and a huge grin on his face he said, "I like this part here real good."

"Daryl, that's disgusting."

He just kept chewing and smiling while he watched her get her sprinkles, crushed Oreos and gummies. When she was satisfied she had hers just right, they went out to the pickup to eat so the young girl could lock up for the night.

"Alright Honey, I can't wait to see you take your first bite of frozen yogurt."

He took a deep breath, steeled himself like he was going into battle, and took a bite of the frozen dessert. She ventured, "Well..."

"It ain't the worst thing I ever ate, it really ain't too bad. Ice cream's better though."

"I agree, but this is more healthy and they have gummy bears."

"Yeah, we done it your way this time. Next time I'll buy ya a big bag a gummy bears and we'll go over ta Sadie's Ice Cream and get us a triple cone."

* * *

Bedtime came and with it a case of nervousness for them both.

It wasn't that they weren't feeling it. They were both feeling the feeling but for her it seemed too soon. They were still just starting to get to know each other. Even though she trusted Daryl completely, their relationship had happened completely by accident. It transitioned from one drunken night they could only partially remember, to marriage. All in the equivalent of a blink of the eye.

She thought it was a best to wait, to get to know each other better. She just hoped she'd be able to keep holding out.

He was ready for her anytime she was willing, but he wanted the time to be right for her. He wanted it to be special and he definitely didn't want her to regret it. He wasn't going to push it or make her feel guilty for not giving in. That's not the way he wanted this to go. Still though, he wanted her and he was going to let her know that.

She used the bathroom first and when she came out, he went in. Just like the night before she stood in the hallway waiting for him. He opened the door and immediately their eyes locked, neither said a word as he walked the few steps toward her. They just kept looking.

Once again he pinned her against the wall and once again the kiss he gave her was all heat and need. Her resolve to wait seemed to crumble, at least in the moment. She returned the kiss with the same desire and when his hand slipped under her thin t-shirt she made no move to stop him. She let him feel the warmth of her soft white skin as his hand lightly skimmed along her abdomen. He drew his lips from hers and began to nuzzle her neck, licking and sucking at the warm skin that tasted so sweet, while his hand gently moved further up her body.

He took it slowly, tentatively when he let his thumb glide lightly over her small tight nipple. She let out a moan and he whispered, "Everythin' about ya is so sweet Baby."

Her hands were on his bottom, grasping and releasing as she felt her body responding to him, and she wanted him. So much. But the truth hit her and she got honest with herself and with him, "I want this with you Daryl. I'm just not sure I'm ready."

He was disappointed and sexually frustrated but he immediately put the brakes on. He didn't react in anger or just pull away from her. Instead he kissed her tenderly while his hand slowly slid back down along her abdomen and out from under her t-shirt. He drew back and in a husky whisper told her, "When you're ready, I'm ready. Not before."

His smile was small but he looked so loving when he kissed her nose and said, "G'nite Baby."

She barely managed to get the words out, "Goodnight Honey, and thank you."

He turned and started walking toward his room, paused, looked over his shoulder at her and smiled, "I'll be right here in my room, ya know, just in case ya change your mind."

* * *

The smells of bacon frying and coffee brewing hit her senses and she woke early with him on her mind. She smiled as she wondered if she'd ever beat him out of bed. She didn't wonder long, other thoughts quickly took over. Mostly the thought of seeing him in his flannel bottoms, and nothing else.

She slid into her slippers and followed her nose to the kitchen, only momentarily disappointed to see he was already dressed. She wasn't disappointed long. How could she be when he looked so fine? His jeans were deep blue, retro 501s with a real nice fit across the seat. He had on a tight black t-shirt with the words _Road Ragin'_ across the back, just above a graphic of an old school chopper.

The heavy looking black boots had buckled cuffs just above the shaft that held his jeans tightly around his ankles, and he wore a wide black leather belt studded with rivets that held a black sheath and knife. As hot as all of that was, nothing could quite compare to those impossibly broad shoulders; and the hair she'd once thought of as being too long and too scruffy had become hair she was dying to run her fingers through.

The small kitchen felt a lot hotter than it was.

She wanted to touch him and she didn't even consider trying to stop herself. She walked right up behind him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and laying her head on his back. A little "mmm" sound coming from somewhere in her chest.

He didn't often allow himself to relax, not fully. There always seemed to be too much to think about and too much to do. In their kitchen that morning, even if only for a few minutes, that all changed. He gently leaned back into her, closed his eyes and simply breathed in the pleasure of everything the moment held. Her thin but surprisingly strong arms holding him tight, the smell of her natural fragrance, and the warmth in her touch.

He wished he could think of the right words to tell her how it felt to share this time with her, but words couldn't really describe how he was feeling. It came from deep within him like a low hum, "mmm, Baby," as he slowly turned in her arms, wrapped his own just as tightly around her and whispered in her ear, "Ain't nuthin' can beat startin' the day like this." He kissed her neck and confessed, "Well, maybe there's sumthin' that could, but for now this is kinda perfect."

He winked, kissed her forehead and smiled, "Mornin' Baby."

She said what she was feeling, "I could hold you like this forever. You feel so good, and Daryl I want more too, and soon." She softly laughed out, "Oh, and good morning Honey."

* * *

She came out of her room wearing the snug jeans, her new boots, the belt, the tight black t-shirt and her blonde curls tied back in a ponytail. "Ya look too good ta be goin' ta work Baby."

She smiled and teased, "You stop that Mister Dixon. I have a job to do today and I want to impress my new boss."

"Ain't no one ever gonna be the boss a you Mrs. Dixon."

They got to the shop before seven and there was already a crowd. They made it through 10 minutes of being nice, getting their photos taken and Daryl once again saying, "Thanks again y'all, we gotta get ta work now," as they escaped into the shop.

Merle and Jim were already there getting tools organized, planning the day and deciding the best way to rearrange the work area once the new equipment, tools and computer arrived.

Daryl and Beth said their good mornings and then her husband took her to her office. He explained, "There's signs n stuff so most everyone lookin' for mechanic work will just come right ta the service entrance in the back. They won't be botherin' you."

"Ya don't gotta be worryin' that you won't hear if someone comes in the main entrance, you'll hear a buzzer go off back here. K?"

"Okay. I'm anxious to get a look at the books and make sure everything's been done correctly." They'd been his friends and she thought she should explain, "I'm not accusing your friends of anything. I just want to check it all out like I would at any job."

"I think that friendship deal done sailed. Anyway, checkin' sounds good ta me. If ya got any questions ya know where I am. If there's any trouble at all there's a panic button under your desk, see it? There's also one under the counter up front. Ya push that button n I'll be up here right away. Probably have Merle and Jim right behind me."

"Oh, okay well I guess I'll be safe."

He smiled, "Yeah ya will." He let his thumb skim along her cheekbone, kissed her forehead and said, "Ya know where I'll be if ya need me. I'll put the lunches in the fridge."

She got busy on the books.

She'd been deep into them for two hours when the sound of the buzzer nearly startled her out of her chair. When she walked in the retail shop she was even more startled. It was Carol and a small man with wire rimmed glasses carrying an overstuffed briefcase.

"Hi Carol, gosh, we weren't expecting you. There's not a problem is there?"

"That's what I'm here to find out Beth. This gentleman is our corporate attorney, Milton Mamet. Is there a private place we can chat with you and Daryl?"

Beth's stomach was in knots wondering what in the world this could all be about. They'd done everything they were supposed to do. They smiled, they had their pictures taken, everything. And they'd already spent so much of the money. "Um, okay, let me get him and maybe we can talk in his office."

Carol had that sweet but not quite genuine smile on her face when she said, "That sounds good. We'll wait right here."

When Merle saw the look on his sister in laws face, and then the look on Daryl's he didn't hesitate, "I'm comin' with ya little brother. Jim, keep an eye on the place, wouldya man?"

You could cut the tension with a knife as they all sat down together in Merle and Daryl's office.

Daryl had a firm grip on Beth's hand, quickly bringing it to his lips and kissing the back of it.

He just kept holding on tight.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I'm a jerk. But this was a big chapter. Please leave a comment / review. I promise the reason for Carol's visit will be revealed at the top of the next chapter. We'll also see some sweet thoughtfulness on Daryl's part, and more talk about a possible camping trip. There will be more closeness between our couple, and we'll find out if Beth has discovered anything amiss in the books. Our next chapter posts when it's supposed to, Friday :) Thank you all so much. You know I really do appreciate you beyond words. See you next week for more of Lady Luck, until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Friday on Friday, how weird. I know I made you all a little mad last chapter, let's see if I can fix that. We start off with Carol's reason for being there, Daryl is going to surprise Beth with something, the group is going to try and reconcile a problem, and in between all that we have some Bethyl sweetness.

00

The groom's gesture brought a genuine smile to Carol's face. She was relieved to see that even though there had been some kind of trouble at the shop, it didn't seem to have had a negative impact on the lovebirds.

"I'm happy to see the two of you still acting like newlyweds. I heard there was quite the dust up here yesterday, serious enough that the sheriff had to be called. I was afraid things might have changed between you."

Daryl didn't hesitate to respond, "Ain't nuthin' gonna change the way I feel bout her." Beth was stunned and too nervous to speak, she just looked at him with loving eyes and smiled.

The room was quiet for a moment and Daryl held Beth's hand a little tighter, and she held his a little tighter. Merle kept his eyes trained on the woman who'd been doing the talking, and they waited.

She spoke then, "I want to make it clear to all of you my reasons for being here. I want to assure you I didn't come to cause more problems. Quite the contrary. I'm here to fix problems. Permanently."

Her eyes went right to Daryl's, "Before I can make that happen there's something I'm going to need from you. I want to know every detail, no matter how big or how small. I want to know why these people went off on you and Beth. I want the complete story, meaning, I want the beginning of the story, the middle of the story and what lead up to it ending the way it ended yesterday."

Daryl stood, not hesitating for a moment to say what he had to say. It wasn't what Carol wanted to hear. He wasn't angry but there was no mistaking he was firm, "I ain't talkin' bout it no more Carol. I get it, I know what ya want an I got nuthin' ta hide. My brother knows everythin', my wife knows everythin' and them other people know everythin'. I ain't tellin' it all again."

Merle's instincts were the same as they'd been since the day Daryl was born, protect him from people who might want to hurt him. He had other concerns as well. So much of the money had already been spent. If the casino people demanded it back there was no way they'd ever be able to repay it. With those things on his mind, and before Carol could make any demands or admonish his brother in any way, Merle stepped in. "Listen, my brother's a good man and what happened ta him was some bad shit, shit he didn't deserve. Why don't ya let him n his wife step outta the room. If ya think ya need ta know, and if Daryl don't mind, I'll tell ya the whole fuckin' story myself."

Carol looked at Daryl and asked, "Well?"

"Like I said, my brother knows it all. If he's willin' ta tell it I don't care, but I want sumthin' understood. It's private. I don't want it gettin' out. I don't wanna see it on the TV or read about it in some magazine. I just want it over and done."

Carol smiled so reassuringly this time, "Believe me Daryl. That's my goal too. I told you, I'm not here to cause problems. I'm here to protect you and Beth from any possibility of further problems. As soon as I find out what it's all about, and who the parties involved are, Milton and I are going to make sure it's never spoken of again, by anyone."

Her words sounded so ominous Merle was thinking the worst. He was serious when he asked, "Shit, it sounds like yer plannin' ta kill em. That ain't what this is about, is it?"

She smiled widely and she looked so innocent when she assured him, "Oh no, nothing quite that drastic. But I can guarantee it will be taken care of, and once I'm sure it's taken care of you won't hear from them again."

Daryl might have insisted she tell him everything she had in mind right there on the spot, but he just wanted to get Beth and himself the hell out of the room as fast as possible.

He held the door for his wife and was almost through it himself when he made up his mind about something else. "Hey brother. I gotta run a take care of something real quick. Gonna take Beth with me."

"Yeah sure, just let Jim know so he can keep an eye out."

The door shut behind them and Beth immediately asked, "What do you have to take care of?"

The change in him was dramatic. His look had gone from stressed out to something very close to happy, "It was gonna be a surprise. I's just gonna slip out this afternoon, run pick it up and give it to ya. Then I got ta thinkin' maybe that ain't a good idea. Maybe ya might not want it. Maybe it's just sumthin' ya don't wanna do no matter what. So now I think ya need ta come with me n see it."

He had her shaking her head in confusion, "What in the world are you talking about Daryl?"

He shrugged and said, "C'mon, I'll show ya."

They were almost to the truck when he saw T-Dog step out of the sedan, just in case there was trouble. Daryl helped her in the pickup, said, "Be right back Baby" and walked toward the big man.

He didn't sound angry, not exactly. His tone was more like demanding, "So what? Ya just watchin' me an my wife so ya can report everythin' we do ta Carol, like some kinda paid tattletale?"

T-Dog was as honest as he was calm, "No man, you know it's not like that. I got a job to do, same as you. Part of it is making sure no one tries to hurt you or your wife. The other part is letting my boss know if anyone does try. Those folks yesterday had every intention of hurting you both. I did my job, I let the boss know."

It was hard to argue with. Daryl chewed on his lip a minute while he thought about it, then joked, "Yeah, okay, just don't be peakin' in my windows."

T-Dog just smiled back, "Not my job or my kink."

* * *

They were in the pickup and she had no idea where they were headed. She tried again, "Just tell me where we're going Daryl."

"Nope, I ain't tellin', but I'll tell ya this part. A guy come round the shop bout mid-December with a certain item he was lookin' ta sell. Hopin' someone there would be interested or might know someone interested. What he had was old but it was cool and in real good condition n all. I thought it'd be nice ta own it."

"I knew I shouldn't spring for it though. I had myself on a real tight budget and I couldn't justify buyin' it. I ain't sure why, but even though I didn't plan on buyin' it sumthin' made me write his number down. This mornin' while you was gettin' dressed I went outside and called him. He's still got it and that's all I'm tellin'."

She was just as confused as she'd been, maybe more so, and she had no hope he'd break down and tell her.

They drove for about five miles to the easternmost edge of town, T-Dog behind them as always. Daryl pulled up to the curb in front of a small home, checked the house number and said, "Yep, this is it." He really didn't need to check the number though, he'd already seen it at the end of the driveway, right in front of the garage door.

The fellow came out as soon as he heard the pickup, all glad handing and talking fast, "Good ta see ya man. I've been hopin' someone would come along n buy it. I still ain't found work and me an my family could sure use the money."

Daryl was clear with him, "I didn't say I's gonna buy it. That's gonna be up ta my wife here, if she says it's a go then it's sold."

"Sure, sure, here's the key, go on back and let her have a look."

She couldn't quite believe this had all been about what she now saw it must be. As they started to walk toward it she asked, "Are you serious Daryl, a camper?"

"Yeah I'm serious. I wanna go campin' with ya Beth. This camper slides right in the bed a the pickup, no sweat. If we had this ya wouldn't have ta sleep on the ground and hell, it's even got a toilet." He stopped walking and she stopped walking, he looked at her and said, "I told ya I'd try n figure sumthin' out. I'm hopin' ya like this idea."

"A bathroom? Wow."

"Yeah well it's more like a closet with a toilet in it, but ya wouldn't hafta go outside."

He held the door open while she climbed the three steps and he followed right behind her. It was old but it didn't look worn and she loved the interior. It was all bright turquoise and white and there were funny little old-fashioned curtains with tie-backs and highly varnished wood.

She was smiling happily when she told him, "Oh my gosh Daryl, it's like a little house in here. A tiny bathroom, a tiny dinette, a tiny stove and fridge, a little sink and…" She turned all pinked cheeked when she said, "oh…and well, the bed is regular size."

She looked so sweet and so fuckin' hot he just couldn't help himself. Before she knew what was happening he had her in his arms and backed up against the counter. He was kissing her deeply while he loosened her ponytail and let his fingers slip through her curls. She was breathless and wanting and worried the owner would come to the camper door, but not worried enough to ask Daryl to stop.

Her husband began to nuzzle her neck and then his lips moved to her ear. In a hoarse whisper he asked, "Would ya be okay sleepin' in the wilderness if ya had a bed like that?"

She wasn't sure she could speak and when she did her voice was nearly as husky as his, "I think as long as you're with me I can sleep anywhere."

He couldn't quite believe what he heard was really what she said. Could it be real? He was careful how he asked, "So the campin' trip is on?"

"The camping trip is on."

He kissed her hard one more time, "K, c'mon. Let's pay the man his money, get the title and get outta here."

Reality hit her and she flinched, "I don't know Daryl, what if we're in trouble with Carol? What if we have to pay the money back? Should we be spending more of it?"

"This ain't got nuthin' ta do with that. This camper is damn near 50 years old and the guy only wants a thousand bucks for it. I got money a my own. Enough ta buy this." He slid a finger softly down her cheek, smiling when he added, "And enough to buy a new mattress for the bed. I know how fussy my wife is about shit like that."

She softly laughed and said, "Daryl, you're the sweetest. Thank you for always thinking of ways to make me happy."

He slipped an arm around her shoulder and his hand gently clasped the back of her neck. Kissing the top of her head he asked, "Ain't that how marriage is s'posed ta work? Two people try'n ta make each other happy?"

* * *

Daryl had the camper loaded on the pickup and they were on their way back to work in no time. It was as they drove Beth told him, "I think I found something irregular in the books Daryl."

"Irregular? Like what kinda irregular?"

"Did you give Caesar a bonus in December?"

He glanced over quickly, then put eyes back on the road and said, "No. None of us had a bonus since 2007, right before the economy tanked."

That's when she told him what she'd found.

"The fuck! You kiddin' me?!" He yelled the words, then took a breath and tried to calm down. It sure as hell wasn't Beth's fault and he didn't want to be yelling around her, "Sorry Baby, but damn, and wait'll Merle hears about this."

He parked in the back and they hurried in through the repair shop entrance. Jim told him Merle and the others were still in the office.

Daryl held her hand so tightly and he hurried so quickly she wasn't sure if her feet ever even hit the ground.

He flung the office door open, startling the others. Carol and Merle were sitting side by side at his brother's desk, while Milton, with laptop open, sat at Daryl's. The lawyer looked up at Daryl with a little fear in his eyes when he said, "Sorry, I hope you don't mind me using your desk. I'm just finishing this up."

Daryl tried to calm himself down some more and told the nervous lawyer, "Nah man, don't worry bout it, you're fine where you're at."

Carol started ta speak, "Daryl, Beth, we're just writing up a couple of contracts. One is for this woman…" She looked down at her notes, "Um, yes, Lily. We're going to make her an offer I feel certain will ensure she'll never bother you again or mention anything that may have taken place, ever again. Now the other two, this Caesar and Amy…"

Daryl stopped her there, "Yeah well before we talk more bout Caesar n Amy ya oughta know Beth found sumthin' in the books."

Silence fell over the room as everyone stopped doing what they were doing and all eyes turned to Beth. Carol started to ask, "Like what…" but Merle interrupted.

"This here is Dixon business. I'll do the askin'."

Daryl and Beth were both surprised to see how quickly Carol acquiesced to his brother, "Yes, of course, you're right Merle." He nodded politely to her and turned his attention back to his sister in law.

Although his voice had an angry undertone Merle was controlled and strangely calm when he asked Beth, "What did ya find in the books little one?"

Her voice was shaky when she responded, "A few things. It looks like it all started at the beginning of last year. There was a large increase in the amount of your utility bills. I can't say positively, but I'm pretty sure that it wasn't just the company's utility bills being paid. They were using company money to make payment of their own bills with yours. That includes their cell phone bills."

Merle muttered, "Fuckers," looked at his brother and asked, "At the beginnin' a last year, ain't that about the time Caesar bought himself that new fishin' boat?"

Daryl, like his brother, was ready to kick ass but he was fighting to keep it under control, "Yep, that's right brother, he did."

Merle turned back to Beth and asked, "What else?"

"On December 30th, just as the two of you were leaving town, and that's probably why you don't know about it yet, there was a bonus paid to Caesar. They must have thought they could figure out a way to cover it up later. It was generous, 2000 dollars."

Merle was steaming mad and pacing the floor. "Those shitheads. I got a mind ta go over ta their place right now and kick Caesar's ass straight ta hell."

Carol's actions surprised Daryl and Beth once again. She laid a hand on Merle's bicep as she spoke to him in what sounded like a loving way, "Now Merle, please, let's talk about this. First we should make sure. Let me get a forensic accountant over here right away. I'll have them working all night if that's what it takes. We'll find out everything that's happened."

Now she was gently rubbing the outside of his arm as she continued speaking softly to him, "I'm looking at this as a possible win for our side. If they're guilty of what Beth thinks they're guilty of, we won't have to pay for their guaranteed silence about…the incident. We'll have all the leverage we need."

Merle wasn't oblivious to the softness of her touch, the sweetness in her voice, or the personal message he was being sent. For the moment though he kept it all business. "What say ya little brother. Ya wanna give Carol here a chance ta work this out her way?"

"Nah, that's not what I want. What I want is ta do like ya said, kick Caesar's ass. But if she's got a some kinda good idea, a way we can get rid a them and the mess and the bullshit for good. I say we let her give it a try. If that don't work, then me n you settle this thing the Dixon way."

"K brother, so be it. Carol, ya kick ass your way an if that don't work, me an Daryl take it from there."

He remembered something else then and made a quick call to the bank, making sure Amy's name was removed as a signer on Road Ragin's bank account.

Carol, Milton and an old fellow Carol called in named Dale poured over the books. With the offices occupied Beth spent the remainder of her day getting a lesson from Jim about helmets, seats and all the other riding accessories she'd be selling, while Merle and Daryl worked in the shop.

As they worked they talked and when the brothers had talked the subject of Caesar nearly to death, Daryl brought up the other thing on his mind. "What the fuck was all that Merle? Ya got sumthin' goin' with Carol too?"

Merle snorted out a laugh and said, "I got no fuckin' idea but I aim ta find out. That first night in Vegas I tried ta get somewhere with her, I give it my best shot. I thought me and her was havin' a pretty good time talkin' n stuff, but when I made my move she shut me down fast."

"Thing was, an I know it's a shocker, but I honest ta gawd liked her. I still do. There was nuthin' ta be done though. When they say they ain't interested ya just gotta figure that's that. I's sure I lost my chance with Carol. The next night when you two was back in the room, that's when Frankie come up ta me at the bar. I swear ta gawd brother, I never had a woman say sumthin' ta me like what that woman said ta me."

His smile was at least a mile wide when he spilled the story, "She walks right up ta where I'm sittin' havin a little drink, puts her hand up high on my leg, practically on the package, and says, 'I'm looking for a good piece of ass with no strings attached."

"You're fuckin' liar Merle."

"No, no I ain't."

He was laughing loudly when he said, "Shit, I didn't lie ta her either. I's honest. I told her I didn't know how good it was gonna be but I'd damn sure try my best."

That's when Daryl lost it too. When the laughing was under control he said, "You asshole Merle. Now what?"

"Well shit, lo and behold, just last night, after I gave her the best I got, and she had herself a screamin' finish, thank you, she pretty much tells me 'thanks buster, we're through now.'" He was cackling again, "I done the job ta the very best a my ability n still got fired."

Daryl couldn't seem to help himself, "Maybe ya just need more practice."

"That's exactly what I's thinkin' little brother."

When the laughing was over Daryl cautioned, "Be careful Merle, I don't think Carol's the kinda a woman a man just plays with."

"That's okay, I'm pretty sure I got more'n just playin' on my mind too." Then he asked his question, "Married life okay kid? Ya look happier than I ever seen ya. That an act or the real deal?"

"It's real. Don't think I don't know what ya did though Merle. You're lucky it's turnin' out or I'd be breakin' every bone in your body, twice."

* * *

Carol, Milton and the accountant were still deep into it when closing time came and Merle volunteered, "Brother, you and little one get on home now. I'll stay here til they're done."

"Ya sure Merle?"

"I said it didn't I? Go on now."

On their way her husband stopped at an RV Supply store. When he ordered a mattress for the bed in their new camper Beth got even more excited than she'd been. "I can't wait to go on our first camping trip Honey."

"Me either Baby, first of a lot I hope. Maybe we'll have some time ta get things ready after we come home from dinner with your Dad on Sunday."

They were aware of what was happening between them. Every day they learned more about each other, and they depended on each other for simple things like kindness and support. They were growing closer and feelings of possible love and undeniable desire were getting more and more intense.

He waited while she used the bathroom and she waited for him in the hall when he did. He opened the bathroom door hoping to see her still there, and the moment he did their eyes locked. She didn't speak and he didn't speak as he slowly walked toward her.

He didn't have to pin her to the wall, she backed up to it while looking in his eyes and waiting for his touch. His body got impossibly close as he pressed his lips to hers and his tongue slipped in her mouth.

He let open palms slowly glide down her slim body until they reached the hem of her t-shirt. He leaned back and looked at her, then leaned back in. He began licking and sucking at her neck as his hands slipped under the t-shirt, pulling it up just far enough to reveal her small round breasts. He looked at them and smiled and once again he kissed her hard. Drawing back he looked at her bare breasts once more and then in her eyes.

She saw the longing in those deep blue eyes and she felt her own surge of desire flow through her body. She stood there exposed to him and knowing that any other time, any other man and she would have been self-conscious. She would have made an attempt to cover herself. Not with Daryl, she couldn't imagine ever hiding herself from him.

His hand grasped her hair and he kissed her hard once more, then slowly, teasingly he kissed his way over her chin, down her neck and along her chest until his mouth was on her breast. At first his sucking and nibbling was gentle, almost hesitant, but as he switched attention from one breast to the other everything became so much more intense.

His low body was rubbing into hers and she could feel his hardness through their thin flannel pants. She was just as aroused as he and she found herself rubbing back, squirming as her need for him grew stronger.

He pushed back, his hands again reaching for the hem of her t-shirt, but this time he pulled it down to cover her. His hands gently clutched her face and in a husky voice he promised, "It's gonna happen and soon Baby, but not here, not in this hallway. I got sumthin' much better in mind."

All she was able to do was look in his eyes and nod her agreement.

He was almost through his bedroom door when he looked over his shoulder and smiled, "But if ya find ya just can't wait, ya know where I'll be."

00

They arrived at work the next morning to discover Jim already in the shop working and Merle, Carol, Milton and the old man just walking out of the office. "You people been workin' all night?" Daryl asked.

Merle's smile was tired but just as wide as always, "Yeah that's right, while you was gettin' your beauty rest we was gettin' down ta business. C'mon back in the office," he turned his attention to Carol, the accountant and Milton, "The three of a ya wanna come with? You can explain this shit a lot better'n I can."

It was Milton who laid it all out, trying very hard to simply state the plan without throwing in a lot of legalese. "We're going to approach the embezzlers first. I think as quickly as possible is best. With your approval we'll go directly from here. Carol has hired an off-duty deputy to escort us, a fellow named Shane Walsh."

"We will present the pair with the evidence of their wrongdoing. We'll advise that no charges will be filed against them providing they sign these forms. The forms state exactly what they can or cannot say with regard to you, your brother, your wife, the business, the incident with the woman named Lily and the reasons they were let go."

Daryl's question was simple, "What about the money they stole?"

"Keep this between us, but I guess you could say it's the payoff. We don't demand it back, we don't press charges and that is our guarantee they don't talk. It's clearly stated in the contract they will have to sign on the spot."

"Fuck that shit, they stole our money!"

Milton didn't flinch at the angry response. He did his best to explain, "I know it seems grossly unfair. We're just trying to manage a sticky situation without it evolving into something even worse than it is. As for the woman, she's going to get a payoff of ten thousand dollars for signing a similar contract."

That was his breaking point. Daryl nearly flew up out of his chair and there was fury in his eyes and in his voice, "Fuck no! I ain't payin' her a fuckin' dime. She put me, my brother and our business through too much shit already!"

Merle tried to smooth things over with Daryl, "Hey little brother, I feel the same. She don't deserve nuthin' but a nasty case a the clap. But here's the deal. We get her offa your back for good and we ain't gotta pay the money ourselves. Carol? Ya wanna explain that part?"

"Yes of course. Daryl, the contest that you and Beth won has taken on a life of its own. No one realized what a huge marketing coup it would turn out to be. The casino board, and myself personally, know exactly the reason it has exploded. It's the two of you."

"It wouldn't have been like this with just any winners. You and Beth are special. I knew the minute you won you were perfect. You're attractive, young and you seem so in love. It's sounds corny, but you've captured people's hearts and imaginations. The contest itself drew people to the casino but the aftermath is a far bigger deal than was ever anticipated. We know the reason, it's the two of you."

"So getting back to the matter at hand. It's in the corporation's best interest to keep anything that could tarnish the perception people have of you two as the perfect couple, from ever seeing the light of day. It's not you, Merle or your business, it's the casino that will be making payment to the woman."

Daryl was still so angry he could hardly see straight, "Shit, it ain't just that though. She don't deserve it. She…it just ain't right."

It was Beth who calmed the beast when no one else could. She wrapped an arm around his, placed a hand on his chest and spoke softly to him, "Daryl, I've always believed most people are good, but every once in a while there's a bad apple and it's best to separate ourselves from them. Having to give this woman money is bullshit. We all know that, but maybe it's worth it to never have to worry about her again."

He looked at his wife for a long hard minute as he thought about how his life had changed. What it had been and what it had become. Everything was so different since he'd met her, and she was what mattered to him most. "You're okay with all this, it's what ya want Baby?"

"It's not what I wish could happen, it's not what I want, but maybe it's necessary. Now we can put all of our focus on the business, and on each other."

He gave her a small nod of his head before turning to the others. "Okay it's a go, but if any a them fuckers ever crosses my path again they're gonna wish they hadn't."

Carol and crew were back by noon with smiles on their faces and signed contracts in hand.

* * *

It was after Daryl and Beth had their lunch that Carol would spring her next idea on them.

She asked them if she could talk to them privately. "I know you feel like you've been in the spotlight 24/7 and I know it can be annoying as hell. Just remember what we've talked about, it won't last forever. Some new celebrity or some new crisis will take the focus off of you."

Daryl cut her off right there, "Alright Carol, we get it. We don't need the build-up an all the other shit. Just tell us what ya got in mind."

"Fair enough. I want to do a photo shoot right here at Road Ragin', the sooner the better. Frankly, you two look sexy as hell in those biker clothes and photos of you dressed like you are now would stir up even more excitement in the newlywed millionaires."

She could see Daryl was not in the mood to hear it so she changed direction just a little, "Think about it – pictures of you and your business will be plastered everywhere, People magazine, on Entertainment Tonight, all over social media. You couldn't afford to buy the kind of free advertising it would be for Road Ragin'."

Daryl didn't know what to say to that. He turned to his wife for the answer, "I just dunno Baby. My head is still swimmin' from all that other bullshit. Whaddya think?"

She answered, "I can see how it might be good for business," but then she turned to Carol, "You would have to promise to show all aspects of the business Carol. Not just some bad ass bikers and a bunch of shiny motorcycles. I would expect to see the business itself and what we do here talked up."

"We have top notch mechanics and Merle's a master at making damaged bikes look brand new. Daryl builds bikes from the ground up. That's what I want to see mentioned and included in the photo shoot, not just me and Daryl posing in boots and leather."

"That seems more than fair and completely doable. There's other good news. This is not part of your contract. Only the interview next week and subsequent home interviews like it are in the contract; and of course the trip back to Vegas at the end of the year. This would be paid work that also pays a big return. I'm sure you'll see business increase."

Daryl gnawed on the side of his thumb as he tried to process it all. He didn't want to do it, he was sick of being some kind of model boy. On the other hand, he could see she was right about it being good for business. "Alright but I got two conditions. First one is, we wait'll that new computer comes in 10 days. I want it ta get in a picture so folks know we got the latest stuff. Second, ya make sure ta get my brother all made up and get him in a picture."

Beth started giggling and Carol was trying hard not to when she agreed, "Okay, it's a deal."

* * *

After work they smiled and said "Hello" to the folks waiting out front as he helped her in the pickup. As soon as he climbed in she slid close. She didn't care about the people watching, he was her husband and she knew it had been a nasty day for him.

He'd just started to reach for the ignition when her arms wrapped around his neck, she leaned up and kissed his cheek softly saying, "I'm sorry it's been so tough today Daryl. I want you to know how much I care for you and how much I appreciate everything about you. I wish I could make all the bad things go away."

He turned in his seat, took her face in his hands and whispered, "Ya do make the bad things go away Baby. Don't ya know how much better ya make my life? Since I married you, every day I wake up knowin' it's the best day a my life."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was a lot. Please leave a comment / review and let me know your thoughts. Next week, and yes on Friday, Daryl's going to church with the family - that's right - the whole family. Hershel, Maggie, Glenn, Shawn and Shawn's wife. I hope to see you all back here for more of Lady Luck. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday and thank you all so much! We have a lot going on this chapter, it probably should be three chaps. Ah what the heck. We're going to church and Sunday dinner with the family, Beth and Daryl get the camper ready for their trip, Daryl notices something not quite right with Merle, and Bethyl will do their first "at home" interview. In between all that, we have some sweet Bethyl love. I hope you enjoy!

00

He wasn't eating, just moving his breakfast around on the plate. That wasn't like Daryl at all. She reached her hand over to hold his and said, "Hey, Honey, it's no big deal. Going to church isn't supposed to make you miserable. If you don't want to go it's okay, don't go."

"Nah, I said I's goin'. Ain't gonna kill me ta go one time…least I sure as hell hope it don't. 'Sides, I wanna hear my wife sing."

She rubbed the back of his hand, "You know you don't have to get all dressed up or anything Daryl, it's a country church."

"Yeah I know and I know what that means. Everyone there knows everyone there, except me. I'm the unknown dickhead who married the prettiest, sweetest girl in the congregation. All eyes are gonna be on me just lookin' for sumthin' wrong."

She realized he probably wasn't too far off the mark, but still she said, "Don't be silly, everyone's going to think you're great."

"Pfft. Yeah, thanks Baby, we'll see. I'ma go shower. At least I can try'n smell good."

She was surprised when he came out of his room wearing black slacks, gray sweater and black sport coat. He told her in Vegas it felt all wrong and he looked all wrong in it, and she remembered telling him how handsome he looked. She told him again, "You look so nice Daryl."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well just look at you. I can't show up lookin' like a speaker at the bum's convention when you're lookin' so pretty."

She was laughing at his silliness while he was busy admiring her look. She wore a pretty white blouse and a flowered skirt and her blonde hair was piled on her head. He marveled at how it took no effort at all for her to go from looking like a hot biker chick, to looking like the sweetest and most innocent girl in the world.

He lay his hands softly on her arms and kissed her forehead, then shook his head, "I wanna give ya a real kiss but I can't be gettin' all worked up right now. I gotta go ta church and act like an upright gent n all."

His playfulness got to her again, "Stop it Daryl, quit making me laugh." Then she leaned up and kissed his cheek, "I appreciate this you know, a lot. Now come on, let's get the cooler loaded up."

There was going to be a full house for dinner and no one expected her Dad to have to try and cook for everyone. He'd have a ham and Beth made a potato salad and a Jell-O salad plus two kinds of pie for dessert. Maggie and Tanya would be bringing food as well.

It was Friday night when they'd learned the whole Greene family would be there. Her Dad of course, but also Maggie with her fiancé Glenn, the brother Shawn and his wife Tanya. He wanted to meet them, after all they were Beth's family. It was the setting he dreaded. He'd be completely out of anything even remotely resembling his comfort zone. It would be so much easier if he could meet them on his own turf, and one at a time.

The person he had the most concern about was his wife's brother. He remembered Beth telling him, "Shawn is so overprotective. I didn't think he was going to take his eyes off me long enough for me to grow up."

Daryl didn't really blame the guy but he thought his wife's words spelled trouble. If this brother of hers was so protective what would he think of his baby sister bringing home a redneck?

He wasn't too worried about her Dad, Hershel Greene seemed like a good man and they'd had their talk. He and Maggie had a little bit of a rough a start but as far as he could tell they were all good. The fiancé, well Beth was always talking about what a nice guy he was, soft spoken and all. Yeah, it was the brother he was worried about.

He knew he was in his head but that didn't mean he could stop over-thinking, quite the contrary, he'd started to feel like a root canal might be a better option than family day. But it wasn't like he had another choice. There were really only two options, be a complete chickenshit and never meet Shawn, or nut up and face whatever.

He had no idea what church would be all about, he'd just wing it, do whatever her Dad did and that ought to work.

They decided to take her car since they were driving her Dad. He was loading the cooler in the trunk when his stomach loudly growled and his wife told him, "Daryl, you should have eaten your breakfast."

"Yeah I know, it's too late now though." He held the passenger door, helped her in and said "Hang on." He ran in the house and thirty seconds later came running back out. He had a chocolate chip cookie crammed in his mouth, another in his left hand and at least six more in his right.

He smiled at her as he got behind the wheel, "Can't have my belly rumblin' while you're singin'."

She thought to herself, this is who Daryl is. He's rough and tough and she knows he can defend both her and himself from anyone or anything. But when they're alone he was perfectly capable of acting like a big lovable kid. She pretended to scold him, "Daryl, I just baked two big batches of cookies last night. They were supposed to last a few days. I bet there aren't even a dozen left."

He shrugged, "Might not be any left at all, not unless ya got some hidden somewhere."

She was shaking her head in mock disgust as a thought flashed through her mind, was this what it would be like if there were ever a small version of Daryl running around the house? Would she have to start keeping cookies under lock and key?

The next thought that flashed through her mind was how nice that might be. A miniature version, or two, of her husband running around the cozy little house. Maybe more.

Daryl was trying not to think of anything except munching cookies and making it through the day. His plan went off track when her question seemed to come out of the blue, "Honey, have you ever thought about having children?"

He was so startled the car swerved a little, and that cookie that had been so delicious suddenly seemed dry and hard to swallow. He quickly glanced over at her, then back at the road and answered honestly, "No. I never thought I'd be havin' any kids. I'm not sure if I wanted some and but figured I'd never have any, or if I never wanted any in the first place." Then he got down to his question, "Is that what ya want, a child?"

She was as honest as he'd been, "I've always wanted to be a mom so yes, someday I'd like to have a child. I think I'd like to have more than one."

He didn't know why he was feeling such a strange mix of excitement, confusion and fear. He'd never even considered it and now she was talking about it like…like they were normal people and it was normal stuff. "What? Like ya want two, or like a dozen? Like how many?"

His voice seemed a little gruff and she knew her cheeks were glowing pink with embarrassment, yet she was glad they were discussing it. It was an important subject and one they should come to some sort of agreement on. "I think I'd want at least two or three, but if we decided we wanted more, well..."

His eyebrows shot up and his voice now sounded not only gruff but a little distressed, "Shit Baby, I never even thought about havin' one. Just gimme a year or so ta get used ta the idea of one, then maybe we'll talk about it."

"Okay."

Her voice seemed so small and sad he immediately felt the guilt. It was his fault. His response had been too harsh. This was something she wanted and he'd shut her down.

He reached for her hand and said, "C'mon, ain't ya figured it out yet Beth? I sure as shit have. I just seem ta do whatever the fuck ya want girl, don't I? If ya wanna have a bunch a kids then that's what we'll have, all I'm askin' is let's not rush it. K?"

"Yes, you're right. Okay."

"And shit, I hope I don't say fuck in front a your family."

His remark immediately lifted the dark little cloud that had fallen over the moment. She was giggling when she said, "I hope you don't too. My Daddy might faint and Maggie would probably laugh so hard she'd pee her pants."

She had him laughing then, "Damn, that sounds like a party I been to."

* * *

Even though they were early her Daddy was standing on the front porch waiting when they got there. Daryl helped her out of the car, shook her Daddy's hand and while the two of them talked he carried the cooler in the kitchen.

When he was back on the porch her Dad showed her husband what a kind and understanding person he was. He looked at his son in law and said, "Don't worry too much about dinner today, or Shawn and Maggie. They just think they know everything and that they're in charge of the rest of us. They've been trying to boss poor Bethie around her whole life."

That's when Daryl showed her Daddy the man he was. He was steel-eyed and serious when he responded, "Yeah? One thing I know about your daughter is she's a lot tougher and stronger than folks realize, even she don't see it. She'll push back someday. So ya know, if I'm around I won't put up with anyone tryin' ta boss Beth around or make her feel small. No one."

Her Daddy nodded, smiled and said, "This might be kind of fun."

Daryl took a deep breath as they pulled up to the small church. He parked the car and hurried around to help her Dad and his wife out. By that time they were surrounded by members of the Greene family. Maggie actually had a smile and a kiss on the cheek for him when she teased, "Hey party crasher, nice to see you."

He smiled back, "Nice ta see you too Maggie. Don't worry. Beth tells me you'll be the center of attention in just a month."

"That's right and I'll expect you and Beth to behave at the wedding."

He was playing along with her, "I know I'ma try my best but I can't speak for my wife."

Beth nudged his arm and smiled when she said, "Daryl, stop." Then she introduced him to Glenn, Shawn and Shawn's wife Tanya.

He was grateful he didn't have to make a lot of conversation with anyone right away, mostly because her Daddy was busy introducing him to the various churchgoers as the family made their way inside. He just smiled at the folks he met, said, "Nice ta meet you" and gave a shake of the hand as called for. He was grateful when they were finally settled in the pew and all of that was over.

Beth sat with them at first, right between him and her Daddy, but it wasn't long before she excused herself, "I have to go up front now. I hope you enjoy the service."

He gave her a look like he'd forgotten where they were and about everyone sitting around them. Like it was just the two of them, "I'ma enjoy watchin' and listenin' ta my wife."

She walked up front, sat at the piano and began to play and sing, while the congregation stood and sang with her. He didn't know the words, he just watched her and listened to the sweet sound of her voice. He found himself thinking that if there really was such a thing as angels, then his wife surely was one.

When they got back to the farm he saw how things were there. It was another little glimpse of how Beth had grown up. The farm was a man's world and her Daddy was the man in charge. When he announced he was hungry Beth, Maggie and Tanya hurried to get the table set and the food laid out.

While the women all scurried around Shawn asked him the usual questions a person asks a new acquaintance. What he did for a living, where he was from, family members. Daryl thought her brother probably already knew the answers from the news. He was just starting out slow, keeping it at polite small talk and then he'd come in for the kill.

They were called to the table and this time Daryl knew a little something about what to expect. He wasn't caught by surprise when they all bowed their heads to pray, and he thought he did a pretty damn good job of acting like he did that shit all the time.

The food was passed around and as they were all busy filling their plates the conversation was just casual chit chat; but as soon as it looked like everyone was done serving themselves, Daryl did what Beth and him had talked about.

He'd argued a little when she first asked him. He wanted her to be the one to make the announcement, but she'd insisted, "Daddy's old-fashioned, he'll expect something like this to come from you Daryl, you're the man of our family."

He was self-conscious but he was also proud. It was something good they'd done and no matter what happened in the future he's always be happy they were able to. He reached his hand in the inside front pocket of his jacket and retrieved an envelope, and handing it to her Dad he said, "Hershel, sir. Beth and me, we're proud ta be able ta hand ya back the deed ta your farm. Your debt's been paid and the land is yours again."

Eyebrows shot up, mouths dropped open and there was a clatter when Shawn dropped his fork in his plate. Hershel and all the women at the table had tears in their eyes, and then there was Glenn. Daryl would always remember how Glenn stood, clapped his hands together like a round of applause and announced, "I'm starting to think Beth and Daryl getting married was the best thing that ever happened for the Greene family."

Maggie collected herself and then looked at Daryl, pretending to be angry but with unmistakable happiness in her tone, "See how you are, the two of you? You've done it again. I was going to spend the entire meal telling everyone every detail I have planned for _my_ wedding, but once again you've stolen my thunder."

She was smiling through her tears as she went on to say, "Thank God, thank God," and stood from the table. She walked around to kiss Beth on the cheek and then Daryl. "You two, this is so generous and so amazing."

Next it was Shawn who stood to speak, "Daryl, I'm not going to pretend any different. I was prepared to give you the third degree over dinner. I was determined to come down hard and make you prove to me you're good enough to be married to my baby sister. Especially in light of the whirlwind romance and Vegas wedding. Instead I guess I can just relax and enjoy my ham and potato salad. You just proved to me she couldn't have found a better man."

Shawn's wife Tanya, who seemed so shy and a little overwhelmed, quietly added, "Beth, Daryl this is a beautiful thing you've done. I know we all appreciate and thank you for your generosity."

Daryl was feeling self-conscious and wishing they'd all just be quiet and eat when Glenn lightened the mood. He looked at Daryl, squinted an eye as if angry and said, "Thanks a lot man, you've set the son in law bar way too high for me."

Then Maggie squinted her eye as she pointed her fork at Beth and said, "Just remember, I get to have the first Baby."

Daryl was so relieved about the way things were going it was like he was high, he played along, "Ya better hurry then Maggie cuz Beth wants one right away."

Neither Beth nor Maggie had a chance to respond. Sweet, quiet Tanya spoke up, "You're both too late. I'm due the end of June."

The happy news, the laughs, the hugs and it was done. Daryl felt like he was part of it all, like they'd accepted him. The realization shocked him in a lot of ways but mostly he felt grateful. He knew family trouble could cause trouble in a marriage. He didn't want anything causing problems between him and Beth. Ever.

He was feeling good about life on the way home and suggested, "Let's stop for ice cream. I'm hungry."

"Daryl we just ate dinner."

"Yeah? Well you can call it dinner if ya want but it seemed like lunch ta me. Now I'm hungry for ice cream."

"Well I'm sure you need some to go with the two pieces of pie you ate."

He smiled over at her patted his stomach and said, "Exactly. Once I down a couple scoops of chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce, I'll be ready ta get that camper squared away for next weekend."

* * *

Once home they changed from their church clothes and got busy checking out what was in the camper and deciding what else they might need to pack for their two-night trip. The fellow they bought it from had been generous, leaving them all the dishes, pots, pans and utensils it held.

Beth insisted everything needed to be washed and the cabinets wiped out and while she did that, Daryl sifted through the garage and the sporting goods room for the other items they'd take.

There was a bow, a shotgun, fishing gear, propane bottles, a couple of Coleman lamps and a cooler. There was another item he wanted to take and while she was in the kitchen washing dishes, he slipped in the bedroom and grabbed the still unopened box of condoms. He hurried out to the camper stashing them in the small cubby next to the bed.

Later they sat at the small kitchen table and made a list of groceries and other items they needed. He smiled when he reminded her, "The new mattress will be in Tuesday. As soon as I get it made up, we're good ta go."

"Gosh Daryl, I never thought I'd get excited about camping, but I am. I'm so excited I can hardly wait."

They'd had a big day, church, family time, preparing the camper and they were both ready for sleep early.

The routine changed a little. As always, she used the bathroom first but this time, as she walked out and he passed her in the narrow hall, he let his hand glide softly and slowly across her tummy. She turned a little pink but she didn't complain.

He wasn't in the bathroom long, just enough time to quickly do what he had to do. When the door opened and he began to walk toward her their eyes met, but his eyes drifted downward. Something was different. It wasn't the way she was leaning her back against the wall, palms flat as if it was helping to hold her up. No, that wasn't what was different. It was the way her small nipples were visibly hard through the thin fabric of her t-shirt.

His pace quickened and as soon as he reached her he began kissing her intensely, his body moving closer to hers and his fingers pinching the tight little nipples. Her body rubbed softly against his while a low humming noise came from somewhere deep within her. The sound coming from him were neither soft nor low, the almost primal groaning seemed to rise up from deep in his core.

Everything about the moment had them feeling warm, sexy and ready, and had him fighting his resolve to wait just a little longer for what he wanted.

His hand slipped under her shirt caressing her small breast, and as he drew his lips from hers he whispered, "I gotta have a taste of this sweet thing Baby." The words no sooner left his lips than the t-shirt was up and he was hungrily sucking at her breast while his tongue flicked across her nipple.

Her small hands tightly gripped his butt as she tried to pull him closer, both of them moaning a little louder as their bodies rubbed against each other. They were breathing hard, wanting more and losing the will to stop.

She could swear her skin was heating up like she had a fever, but she knew what was really causing her temperature to rise, it was her need for him. When his hand slipped down the front of her pajamas she didn't object, instead she spread her legs a little, inviting him.

His fingers tugged gently at the soft curls of her mound, and then they slipped down a little further and he teased her clit. All she could manage to do in response was gasp in pleasure. He kept up the play, pushing his hardness against her thigh while teasing the little nub and tenderly biting at her nipple.

He felt it begin and that made him smile to himself. Her breathing became almost labored and her warm little body started to stiffen and tremble. She made a sound like a soft squeal and he urged her, "Come Baby, c'mon now, come for me." He felt it start and he moved his mouth from her breast so he could see her face, watch her come, and as she did he almost did too.

She hadn't even caught her breath but she was embarrassed and started to say, "I…I'm sorry, I, I didn't think that was going to happen."

He was confused and asked, "What the hell ya sorry for Baby? I sure as hell ain't sorry. I feel like a million fuckin' bucks knowin' I could make that happen for ya." Then he kissed her nose and teased, "I can't wait for my turn, but I will."

He started toward his room but she hurried to grab him from behind, arms circling his waist. She hugged him tight when she told him, "I'm so glad Merle got us drunk that night in Vegas Daryl, I've never been this happy."

He slowly turned and holding her close to his chest he kissed the top of her head, stroked his hand over her hair and whispered. "Me too Baby. I didn't even know this kind of happy was existed."

00

Merle and Jim were already there when Daryl and Beth arrived Monday morning. They weren't alone. Abraham had arrived. The guys were showing him "the ropes," where everything in the shop was located, where his work station would be, hours they worked and what they had lined out for the upcoming week. Merle made an attempt to sound like his usual self, "Glad ya finally got here man. Ever since little brother went an got himself married n famous business picked up."

Daryl shook hands with the big redhead and introduced him to Beth. The man smiled and bowed to her, "Damn, I shoulda gone ta Vegas with these guys." There was some good natured back and forth and brief catching up, then the big man was on his way back out. He held up a hand, giving them the peace sign as he walked out the door saying, "Just gonna get stuff moved into my place. I'll be back by noon and ready ta work circles around the whole bunch of ya!"

They all settled into their work but there was no way Daryl could miss it. It wasn't like Merle at all. Even when he was pissed off or he'd had a rough night out, his brother was always loud and full of life. Even with his old buddy arriving, that was not the case this day.

Daryl generally made it a point to try and stay out of anything to do with Merle's love life, but he knew Merle and Carol had made some kind of plan for the weekend. He hadn't forgotten his brother's words, that he genuinely liked Carol and was interested in something with her; and Carol sure as hell hadn't tried to hide her interest in his brother.

Daryl couldn't help wondering what might have gone wrong between them that had his brother so down.

It was later that morning. A bike came in for collision repair that was a scraped, bent and dented mess. Daryl walked over by his brother to have a look at it and he and Merle began discussing which option made the most sense. Repairing the badly damaged bike, or since it was already such a mess maybe chopping it, or the option they both thought was the best idea of all. Salvage any part worth saving and haul the rest to the dump.

That was the kind of talk that always got a belly laugh out of Merle, but he barely smiled. That reaction had Daryl more worried, "Hey brother, the fuck's the matter with ya?"

Merle was no more of a man to talk about the "deep" stuff than Daryl. Still the older brother found himself rubbing his hand over his head, lips pursed and looking down, and then he looked at Daryl and admitted, "Shit brother. I care about this fuckin' woman. How the fuck did that happen? Shit. The hell of it is, she says she cares bout me too."

Daryl was confused, "Well that's good then, ain't it?"

"Well it sure as fuck seems like it oughta be, 'cept she lives in Vegas an I live in Georgia. She's got her fancy career there an I got Road Ragin' here. How the fuck is that gonna work?"

Daryl rolled his shoulders and what he said made sense, "If the two of ya like each other that much I guess somebody's gonna have ta give sumthin' up."

"Yeah, well, there's sumthin' else goin' on too, but I ain't up ta talkin' bout it now. Maybe another day."

It was their way and Daryl couldn't stop himself, "She ain't pregnant is she?"

Merle growled, "If we wasn't on company property I swear I'd beat your ass right now."

Joking aside, Daryl did have concerns. This wasn't like Merle, not like him at all. Before Daryl went back to his own station he clapped his brother on the shoulder and said, "Whatever brother, ya know I'm around."

Merle nodded back, "Yeah, I do know. Thanks."

It was later that afternoon, just after lunch when Carol arrived to talk to Daryl and Beth. Daryl didn't think she looked much happier than Merle but he didn't mention it, he just listened to what she had to say.

"First, I want you to know that Frankie no longer works for the casino. From now on you'll be dealing directly with me."

Daryl wished he was the kind of guy who could just pipe up and ask why Frankie got run off. He'd never ask Carol though. He just wondered if it had something to do with Merle, and if it did he knew he'd hear about it eventually.

Carol explained to the couple, "As you know, the home interview is set for tomorrow. I told you we'd be staging the front room, and I promise that's the only part of your space we'll invade. When I saw the pictures of your house I decided we didn't need to move in different furnishings. It'll just be a few little accessories and some photos on the wall. You can keep what you want, otherwise we'll be back around with the same stuff in a month. If we take down the pictures we'll patch and paint as needed."

"Seems like a lotta b.s. for one fifteen minute interview."

"I know it's b.s., it's ridiculous. But it sells. Welcome to Hollywood. I've told you before, you two represent the ideal lovers, the perfect pair who won a million dollars." Her smile looked tired when she added, "At least we won't have a full crew there. It'll just be myself, a cameraman and the same interviewer you had in Vegas."

"Alright, but we got work, what time?"

"I know. I'd like to do it in the morning so it can air tomorrow night. You're early risers, do you want to do it before work?"

"Whaddya think Baby?"

"Yes, I don't want to think about it all day. Let's get it over with."

Carol agreed, "Done, I'll have everyone here at six but I'll come a little early. I have some clothes for you. Nothing too fancy, more casual. After the interview you can change into your work clothes. I just don't want to do the big reveal of your sexy biker clothes before we shoot the interview at the shop. Okay?"

Daryl couldn't help wondering when it was that biker clothes got sexy. He thought of leather as a practical thing, worn to keep a guy from scraping off his skin if he dumped his bike.

* * *

The staging consisted of a area rug, some throw pillows, a couple of candles, a plant in the corner, an afghan on the back of the sofa and on the wall behind where they'd sit a huge canvas of the "Vegas Wedding Kiss."

The interview itself didn't seem like such a big deal, they just answered the questions honestly. It turned out their answers were a very big deal. They struck a chord with the viewing public.

The interviewer was dressed like she was going to a cocktail party, and she acted as if she were brimming with excitement to see the couple and ask her questions. Daryl and Beth knew enough to act happy to see her too, and to try and seem friendly and just as excited to be interviewed.

The first question was addressed to Beth, "It's so nice to see you again Beth. Tell me, now that you two have so much money have you been out house hunting? I bet you're dying to get a big place over in that new Ridgeway section of town."

Beth shook her head, "No, not at all. It never even crossed my mind. This is our home. I can't see any reason to sell it and move, we're very happy here."

Daryl wasn't thinking about the camera running, he just wrapped an arm across his wife's shoulder, smiled and kissed her blonde curls.

The interviewer recovered from her surprise and commented, "That is just so sweet, how nice." Her attention turned to Daryl and she asked, "So what do you intend to do with all the money you won?"

"Um, well, we gotta give a lot of it ta the government, and we used a pretty good-sized chunk ta pay off the bank note on Beth's Daddy's farm." He rubbed a hand over his chin while he thought, "Um, yeah and we paid off this house. We didn't owe much but we don't like owin' anythin'. Let's see, then we ordered some tools and equipment and such for the family business. We're gonna save the rest."

The interviewer was startled by his answer, "Wow, you actually spent your money to pay off someone else's debt? That's…well it's wonderful. I think most people would be a little more frivolous, at least with part of the money. Come on now, don't you at least have a romantic vacation planned?"

Beth was all bubbly excitement when she answered, "We do! We're taking a little trip to the woods and I just can't wait. We're going camping next week!"

That evening the interview aired on every news channel, along with Entertainment Tonight. The news people all appeared to be a little stunned by the modest young newlywed millionaires. The couple who so benevolently paid off her Daddy's farm, and chose such a simple life for themselves. "Refreshing" seemed to be the word of the day.

One particular entertainment reporter, who like the interviewer was dressed as if she was going to a cocktail party after work, was practically gushing over how sweet Beth was in her excitement to go camping. The reporter remarked, "Who wouldn't want to get a hunk like Daryl Dixon out in the woods for a couple of nights? Yum!"

Her male counterpart pretended to be shocked but he had a big toothy grin when he said, "Francine! You'd better watch yourself, he's a married man!" And they laughed like they were funny.

Daryl and Beth were sitting on the couch in their pajamas watching and after that, he clicked the TV off. He shook his head, looked at her and said, "Pfft, there ain't any women I'ma ever be goin' out in the woods with 'cept you Baby."

He made his move, laying her and then himself down right there on the couch. They were side by side and he was looking in her eyes while gently gliding the backs of his fingers over her soft cheek. "Ya sure are pretty layin' here in your p.j.s. How'd ya wind up in this place with a guy like me?"

She reached her hand up, running her fingers slowly through his hair and pushing the wayward strands off his face, "I got lucky in Vegas, really lucky."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you it was a lot! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'd appreciate you leaving a comment / review. Next chapter is all about our couple alone in the little camper in the wilderness. Yes! Finally! Thank you all so much for reading along, and I hope to see you back next Friday for...well, you know. Until then remember. I love ya large! xo gneebee


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much! I'm not calling this the lemony chapter or the smut chapter. Those descriptors just don't seem quite right, so I'm calling it the champagne chapter. Champagne always sounds good :) We're going to see a little interaction with Merle and T-Dog in the beginning, then our couple are taking off to the mountains for some quality alone time, including some sweet Bethyl Love. I hope you enjoy! :)

00

He was having a hard time and it wasn't usually that way. Doing custom work was what he liked most about the business.

The problem was he couldn't get his wife and their camping trip off his mind. He had so much hope about the way things might go on their short getaway. That scared him. In his experience hope and expectations were dangerous things. They so often gave way to disappointment. He couldn't deny either though. The big hope and the big expectation that on their short camping trip it would happen, they'd become a husband and wife in every way.

The camper was packed with what they needed and more. He had it loaded on the pickup and parked right out back. As soon as the work day ended they'd be on their way.

He'd listened to a little local news on Friday and when the weather report came on it wasn't a complete shock. The weather guy said there was a chance of light snow in the mountains Saturday evening. Light was the key word, it wasn't supposed to be heavy, just an inch or so. No big deal. After all, it was the beginning of February.

Daryl knew there was always a chance the guy was wrong, that there could be more snow than anticipated or none at all. If it was just him going he wouldn't even give it a second thought. But it wasn't just him going. Beth would be there and she was the last person in the world he'd take chances with. He wanted to be prepared for the worst. That's why he had a little talk with Merle before they left that afternoon. The first thing he did was let his brother know exactly where they'd be, "We're goin' up in the Slater Wilderness, gonna make camp a mile and a half east of that big dead oak, ya know the one?"

Merle was wiping his hands on a shop rag when he nodded, "Yeah, the one that got struck by lightnin'?"

"Yep, that's the one. We'll be headin' back home Monday afternoon, we're planning on being back ta work first thing Tuesday mornin'. That's what I expect ta have happen. If we ain't here then ya know it's cuz I didn't think we'd make it down the mountain without trouble. There ain't no need ta come lookin' right away though." Daryl shrugged as he further explained, "Last night when I heard there might be a little snow comin' I made another trip ta the store. The fridge in the camper is packed full, I got a cooler fulla food in the back seat of the pickup and another full of food, beer, wine n all. We got enough ta last us at least six days."

He was shaking his head, thinking to himself he was crazy. He'd gone so far overboard, "I got an extra propane tank strapped good'n tight on the back end. We'll have plenty for heat. I put a new 12V battery in the camper and packed the charger and shit, I even took the quilt off my bed and threw it in."

Merle was chuckling when he said, "Sounds like you're plannin' ta be gone a while, but it's good you're ready for whatever. How long ya want me ta wait 'fore I come lookin'?"

"Give us five nights but I expect you'll see us Tuesday like we planned. I don't even know why I'm worried or why I did all this shit. Fuck, it's only s'posed ta be a light snow and I never been anywhere I couldn't get out of. I just know I ain't takin' any chances when I got Beth with me."

Merle smiled, clapped his brother on the back and nailed it, "Yeah, I get it, ya love her and ya wanna protect her."

It took his brother saying it for Daryl to finally realize, that's what it was. Shit, he'd never felt this feeling before. He was biting his lip and nodding his head, yep, that's what the feeling was, it had to be. Love. Just realizing it made him even more anxious to get in the pickup and get away, somewhere he could truly be alone with his wife.

Even though his head was reeling from his new reality he had one more thing to say to his brother, "Merle, brother. I don't like seein' ya like this. When I get back me n you are gonna talk bout whatever the fuck is goin' on."

* * *

The weather had nothing to do with the case of nerves Beth was experiencing. Not even the idea of staying in the little camper somewhere out in the middle of nowhere was giving her anxiety.

It was something else that had her nerves jangled, her tummy fluttering and her body oddly yearning.

She was about to be locked away in a tiny camper with the man she'd finally come to realize was the man of her dreams. There was one bed and they'd be sleeping in it together. Neither of them had come right out and said that, but they both knew.

Over the past few days she was sure she'd pictured every possible scenario. Finally she simply wondered if he'd even make a move or if he'd think he shouldn't. If he did make his move how would she respond? Oh Beth she thought, quit trying to kid yourself. If he makes a move you're moving right along with him, wherever he wants to take you.

Maybe if he doesn't make a move, you'll have to.

She was apprehensive though, not because she didn't want that with him. She wanted it a lot. It was her own lack of experience that concerned her, and her belief that he'd had plenty of experience. He didn't seem at all like some kind of player, but she was positive he'd "been around."

If he didn't have loads of experience, then how in the world did he know just how to kiss her that way? Just how to hold her like that? Just how to run his fingers slowly through her hair until her spine tingled? And the biggest question of all, how had he known just where and how to touch her to make her come completely undone?

The thing she was so sure they would end up doing she'd only done twice before. Neither time had been a good experience for her. She remembered what her then boyfriend told her, and she was so naïve she believed him. He said women didn't have orgasms until they'd done "it" a lot. Hmph

Just playing around with Daryl in the hallway taught her better than that. Still, there was a part of her that was afraid of sex. Afraid it might hurt like it had with her ex. Afraid she wouldn't like it, like she didn't like it with her ex. Most of all she was afraid she might be a disappointment to Daryl.

She was startled from her thoughts when he walked in her office, "Ready ta go Baby?"

She put those thoughts aside, beamed at him and answered, "I'm so ready."

He helped her in the pickup before walking over to speak with T-Dog. "Listen man I get it, ya got a job ta do, but don't follow us. That car ain't built for the road we're gonna be on and there ain't no one gonna be around but her an me. We'll be just fine."

"Carol has instructed me to follow as far as I can."

"A'ight, ya follow til we turn off the highway, then why don't ya go take that monkey suit off and relax for a couple a days."

The big bodyguard smiled back, "My pleasure."

Once the truck was off pavement and on the dirt road there were a million little bumps and several pretty big bumps. None of it bothered her, it was expected on country roads. Besides, the dirt road was taking them someplace they could finally be completely alone.

They were getting close, dark clouds were beginning to form and it felt like the temperature suddenly dropped 10 degrees. She shivered and slipped her jacket on and Daryl turned the heat up in the cab. He was relieved there were just a couple miles left to go, and even more relieved when they reached their destination and it was still light out. Beth was practically jumping up and down in her seat. "Wow Daryl this is so beautiful. I can't believe it. I'm so excited to go exploring with you."

He was thrilled she liked the place and he was more than ready and willing to take her wherever she wanted to go, but first things first. He could feel and smell the snow coming, he knew he had to hurry. "I'll get camp set up and if we have a little time after that, we'll take a walk."

He leveled the truck first, then set up a small outdoor kitchen consisting of an oblong folding metal table, a Coleman stove and two plastic dish tubs. He explained, "We'll do some cookin' inside, but I like cookin' breakfast out in the fresh air, as long as it ain't rainin' or snowin'. I'll do the dishes out here too. We don't want that gray tank ta fill up too fast. We'll save it for the water we use washin' ourselves up."

She wasn't sure what that meant, "Gray tank?"

"There's two holdin' tanks where waste water goes. One is gray water, that's dishwater, toothbrushin' water, washin' your hands water, ya get the idea. The other tank is black water it's, ya know, when ya flush."

"I can see I have a lot to learn about this stuff."

He smiled, "Don't worry, I'ma teach ya all of it Baby. You're my campin' partner now."

She smiled and tried to help as much as he let her, which wasn't at all. Mostly she just watched him while he got the coolers from the back seat of the pickup, setting them right next to the camper. Then the two camp chairs and a Coleman lantern that he set under the camper and behind the coolers. He explained, "This'll keep em protected from the weather til we're ready ta use em."

The last thing he did was take the plastic tablecloth and lay it over their camp kitchen, using metal clips to secure it snugly underneath. "That oughta keep the snow out."

No sooner had he said the words than the first few flakes began drifting down. He smiled, took her hand and for a few minutes they simply stood quietly watching the snowflakes fall, and the ground quickly become covered in a blanket of white. She was thrilled, "Oh my gosh Daryl, this is just perfect. Just the two of us and snow in the mountains. I love it."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, teasing, "I thought ya might, that's why I ordered it for ya."

They didn't stay out in it long and they didn't go on any walks. "Not tonight Baby, it's gonna be dark as pitch in just a few minutes. Let's get inside an eat sumthin', I'm starvin'."

"Sounds good, I'm hungry too."

They'd brought a stew she made and with the weather turning the way it was they agreed that sounded best. "Sit down Baby, lemme just get it warmin'. We'll have a drink while it's heatin' up."

"I feel guilty just sitting around while you do all the work."

"All the work? I'ma take the container outta the fridge, dump some stew that YOU made in a pot, light the stove then sit and drink a beer while we wait for it ta warm up. It ain't gonna be easy but I think I can handle the workload all by myself."

She shook her head and told him, "Fine. Be your stubborn self."

He nodded and called her out, "Oh yeah, you'd know all about that wouldn't ya Beth? Now how bout a kiss and I'll get busy with my hard work."

Her arms were folded in front of her and there was a pout on her face, but he didn't let it stop him. He smiled, kissed her hard and said, "There, now I got the energy ta get to it." Darn it, she couldn't help smiling back.

He lit the burner, slid the pot over on it and set the flame down low, then turned the indoor light off and the small outside light on. The curtains were tied back and they sat together on one of the dinette seats, watching as the light softly illuminated the big flakes that fell in the now complete darkness.

It felt so cozy and they sat so close, he thought this was what it must be all about when people talked of romance. He decided he liked romance a lot. Still, as much as he was enjoying the moment with her, he didn't miss the fact the snow was getting heavier and falling faster. The signs were all there; this would be far more than just a light dusting. He wasn't worried, they'd be fine. They were together.

He didn't bring any of that up to her, and he wouldn't this night. Why worry her when everything was so perfect and peaceful? And yeah, romantic. They could talk about it over breakfast.

They continued sitting close and watching as the snow fell outside and the stew warmed on the small stove. He sipped on a can of beer while Beth sipped on a canned rum cocktail. Something called a Fizzy Pink Lemonade. "That shit any good?"

"It's bubbly and it tastes like coconut and pink lemonade. I can't taste the rum at all. So yes it's delicious."

They laughed and he stroked her hair, "I gotta tell ya Baby, I never had it like this out campin'. I'm warm n dry, there's dinner on the stove, but the best part is I got my Baby sittin' next ta me drinkin' kiddie cocktails." He bent down and kissed her head, "Shit, never thought I's gonna find myself livin' the good life."

* * *

After dinner he got out the deck of cards, "How bout a game a poker?"

"I don't know how to play."

"You're kiddin'. You're the one who wanted ta bring the cards so whaddya play?"

"Oh you know, the usual, crazy eights, rummy, canasta and pinochle."

He looked at her for a minute before stating what had always been obvious, "Girl, we couldn't be more different. Ya know that right?"

"Yes I do know that, but is it a bad thing?"

"Not ta me it ain't. Sometimes I feel kinda fascinated by ya, like I'm with someone from a whole other world or sumthin'. I never knew no one like ya Baby."

"I'm the same, I never knew anyone like you either."

"So ya think it's okay us bein' so different an all? Ya don't think it'll matter later?"

"I think it'll matter a lot. I think it will always make us perfect for each other."

Her words meant everything to him. He set the deck of cards on the table and took his wife's slim face in his hands. He looked in her eyes, kissed her hard, then pulled her close and whispered his question in her ear, "Can we lay in the bed Baby?"

She felt almost dizzy but it was what she wanted too. She whispered the only word she could, "Yes."

He slid out of the dinette and stood right there, looking at her with a fire in his blue eyes as he began to unbutton his shirt, she couldn't imagine turning away from him. She watched as he slipped out of the shirt and set it on the other seat, and they continued gazing in each other's eyes as he reached his arms over his shoulders to his back, grabbing fistfuls of his t-shirt and pulling it up and over his head, tossing it atop his flannel shirt.

She'd seen him bare chested many times but this was different. It wasn't like he was simply getting undressed. No, this was like he was slowly and sensually revealing himself to her. As if he were telling her, "Here I am, and I'm yours."

He loosened the buckle of his belt and left it hanging open as he took a step closer to her. He took her hand in his and lay it against his chest, "My heart. Ya got my heart girl."

She could feel the emotion in the words he spoke like it had wrapped itself around them. A feeling so powerful she thought she might cry. She swallowed back the tears, her voice barely above a whisper when she answered, "And you have mine Daryl, you have mine."

He leaned down, kissed her and then stood straight again as he loosened the buttons of his jeans. His hands went to his hips, thumbs inside the waistband and ready to pull them down. Then he stopped. He looked at her and asked, "Okay?"

She answered, "Yes, okay."

He slid the pants down and off, laying them with his other clothes and quickly removing his socks.

He stood there before her wearing only a pair of black boxer briefs, then held his hand out to her and she took it. He helped her to her feet and smiled as his hands went to the back of her hair and he gently pulled off the band that held her ponytail. He was smiling as he looked in her pretty face and fluffed the blonde curls with his fingers. When his hands moved to the top button of her shirt he asked, "Can I help ya get outta this?"

"Yes."

Although his hands were big and rough looking, a working man's hands, his fingers were nimble and the buttons were no challenge. Yet he didn't rush. He took them one by one, pausing between each to kiss her lips or her forehead, the end of her nose or to nuzzle her neck.

The look in her husband's eyes, the anticipation she felt, and those little touches and kisses already had her nipples hard and her panties damp.

He began to slip the shirt off her, then paused long enough to nuzzle her neck and kiss the pale skin of her shoulders before completely removing the garment and laying it with the other clothes. He took a step back as he took her all in. The white bra with the tiny pink bow and small pearl in the center had him smiling. What made the look a perfect blend of sweet and sexy was the way her small pale breasts and hard pink nipples were visible through the thin satin fabric.

He crooked a finger and rubbed the knuckle lightly over her nipple while still looking in her eyes, "Can I take it off ya?"

She was already squirming and was quick to whisper, "Yes." He gave a small nod of his head as he reached one hand behind her and with no effort at all popped the clasp open. His eyes still didn't stray from hers as he slid an index finger under each of the thin bra straps just above the cups, then slowly pulled the garment toward himself and off of her.

The deliberately leisurely pace was torture for them both. Slow, sweet, sexy torture.

He'd never taken his time with a woman in this way. He'd never had a reason to. But he was going to savor every minute of this with Beth.

He tossed her bra with the other clothes and she softly reminded him, "Careful, it's the only one I brought."

"Ya ain't gonna need it Baby."

His open palms rested on her shoulders as he stood admiring her breasts and she began to feel a little self-conscious. It almost sounded like an apology when she said, "They're small."

"I wasn't thinkin' small. I's thinkin' how pretty they are." His open hands lightly skimmed across her shoulders and down the outside of her arms. He kissed her neck and kissed her shoulder then clasped his hands on her hips and pulled her close. He kissed her lips, just a gentle little kiss, then took her breast fully in his mouth. She felt the shiver rush through her as he sucked and nibbled at the tender flesh.

She couldn't imagine why he suddenly stopped, pulling his mouth away. Then he grinned at her and said, "Got all caught up n forgot what I's doin'." With that he was opening the button of her jeans and easing the zipper down. He slipped his hands slowly down the back of her pants, taking time to lightly squeeze the warm soft skin of her bottom. He had a devilish little grin when he asked, "I ever mention ya a got a real nice ass Baby? Nicest I ever seen."

She felt her entire body blush as he slowly slid her jeans down, squatting in front of her as he leaned close and gently bit her mound through the satin panties. "Gonna wanna taste that."

His words startled her. She hadn't planned on anything like that and he felt her body tense. He thought he knew why. "Ya never done that stuff, huh Beth?"

"No."

He'd never cared for it himself, never much cared to do it with the women he'd known. Again though, this was Beth and she was everything to him, and he wanted everything with her.

He stood straight, took her face in his hands and looked at her so seriously, "It's sumthin' I'd like ta do for ya, sumthin' I think we both might like. But Baby, I ain't ever doin' nuthin' ya don't want me to, k?"

"Yes, okay." That was her reply but she felt guilty and worried that maybe she'd disappointed him.

Then he bent down again, helped her step out of the jeans and tossed them with the other clothes. Before she knew quite what was happening she was in his arms, him carrying her like a bride and laying her down on the little bed. He smiled, "Ya best crawl under the covers til I can get ya warmed up."

She did as he said but when he started to climb in too she nervously asked, "Aren't you going to turn the light off?"

"Nah, I wanna see ya Baby. All of ya. Ain't no reason ta hide, there ain't no one around out here but you n me."

He slid under the quilt and as he took her in his arms he felt it again, tension. He leaned up on an elbow looking down at her as he stroked her hair and said, "Please don't act like you're scared a me Beth. I ain't gonna hurt ya. You're my wife, I love ya Baby."

His words caught them both by surprise. She threw her arms around his neck, holding him as tightly as she could. Her face was pressed into the crook of his neck and there was a soft little cry in her voice when she told him. "Daryl, I've been hoping you did, because I love you too."

"Ya do? Ya sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. I wouldn't say it if I wasn't. Are you sure?"

"Well yeah, I wouldn't say it either, not if I wasn't sure. I loved ya since I knew ya, I just didn't know that's what I's feelin'. I didn't understand. Never have felt this way for anyone but you Beth. I know I never will."

She drew back enough to lay her hand on his cheek, smiling when she told him, "Then make love to me Mister Dixon."

He smiled back, "I'ma do my best ta make ya happy ya asked me to Mrs. Dixon."

He still didn't rush, he neither had the desire to, nor could he see any good reason to. They had all the time in the world and he wanted to get to know every inch of her.

His kiss was tender but not demanding as his finger traced around the curve of her ear, then slowly along her neck and down her chest, until finally it reached her nipple. He teased, just barely touching the tip of the nipple with the tip of his finger, while his lips and his tongue began to slowly follow the path his finger had taken.

When his lips met his finger his mouth covered her breast, while his finger began slowly skimming its way down her slim body, until it reached the lace waistband of her panties. The finger slipped inside the delicate fabric and her body reacted to his touch. She was having trouble trying to keep from squirming with his tongue, teeth and lips teasing her breast and his finger slowly moving through her curls; barely grazing the sensitive skin of her mound.

Her hips rose seeking more of him, while his lips and tongue began to slowly follow the path his finger had taken, until his mouth reached her panties. She moaned and he looked up at her, "Gonna slip your panties off Baby."

"mmm," she responded, "And take yours off too."

He smiled and took the waistband of her panties between his teeth, while his hand slip down the back of the thin fabric. He released his bite, carefully pulling the panties down to mid-thigh, then he took a chance. He hoped she'd be okay with it when he nuzzled her mound with his nose while lightly biting at the curls and flicking his tongue along her sweet skin.

She didn't ask him to stop, and the way her hips had begun slowly moving up and down he was sure she liked it. He straightened, crawling up beside her so he could kiss her lips and whisper, "Ya tell me ta stop any time ya ain't comfortable. K Baby?"

She ran her fingers through the mess of hair on his forehead and breathlessly whispered her reply, "Yes, yes Honey."

He rolled on his back long enough to slip out of his boxers, and she did something she never imagined she would ever do. She openly watched him. When she saw his naked manhood already semi-hard she gasped, but not in horror, quite the opposite. He was roused by her response and hurried to toss the shorts down to the end of the bed.

He got on his knees between hers and slowly, carefully pulled her satin panties the rest of the way down, stopping frequently to lick, nibble, kiss and suck at the warm pink skin of her legs. By the time his lips reached her knees she was whimpering, "Daryl please, I…please..."

He smiled, pulled the panties off and held them in his hand as he lay between her legs. Strong arms slipped under slim thighs and his hungry mouth found the sweetness he'd wanted to taste since the first time he'd seen her.

She tensed and relaxed, tensed and relaxed as she got used to his tongue licking along the slightly swollen outer lips that protected her pussy. When she finally begin to let herself enjoy the feel of his lips and tongue on her, he slipped his tongue inside her and she let out a squeal as her hips jerked up.

He stopped, "Okay Baby?"

She could barely breathe out the words, "Yes, I'm…it's okay…I just…I didn't know…I…"

"Baby, ya ain't gotta know nuthin'. Try'n relax and lemme do this for ya. If ya want me ta stop, just tell me."

"No, don't stop."

He rubbed his hands along her thighs, encouraging her to relax while he went slow and easy, kissing her opening and inner thighs. When he thought she was ready for him he once again let his tongue slip inside her. He licked, kissed and tasted, then his tongue began to skim along her clit. Slowly at first, then more forcefully as he began to suck on the small, swollen nub.

She moaned deeply as she made a grab for his hair and tugged at it as if she were trying to pull him into her. That's when he knew, she wasn't scared anymore.

He reached his hand over to softly press on her mound, hoping to intensify the feeling as he continued to lick and suck at the nub. At the same time he slipped his other arm out from under her thigh, and then slipped his finger inside her. She called his name, "Daryl!" But he knew she wasn't objecting. He could tell by the quickening movement of her hips and the way she tugged at his hair even harder.

She could pull out every last fucking hair on his head if that's what she wanted. All he wanted was to satisfy her. He moved his mouth away just long enough to tell her, "Never tasted nuthin' I liked more than the sweet taste a you Baby."

His words further excited her, then he added more fuel to her fire. He moved his hand away from her mound, reached for her breast and began pinching her nipple, all while his tongue continued to tease her swollen clit and his finger moved inside her. She was swallowed up in the pleasure, it all felt so good, and she could tell what was happening to her.

Her body began to tremble, stiffen and then squirm. He knew what was happening too and as much as he hated to stop, he moved his mouth away again just long enough to say, "Come Baby, I wanna taste it, come for me."

With his words her upper body lifted a few inches off the bed while she tugged at his hair and her breathing became faster and more erratic. Then it happened, she was sure the whole camper must be shaking as her body shivered with pleasure when her release came and she screamed out his name, "Daryl!" He smiled as he watched her, then happily licked at the proof of her satisfaction.

She let go of his hair and fell back on the bed, heart pounding, fighting for air and trying to get it together enough to speak. He slowly licked his way up her body and when they were face to face he kissed her. Her first thought was 'no', she didn't want to taste what he'd been tasting, but the warmth of his lips and tongue felt so good, and it surprised her how the taste and smell seemed to be arousing her all over again.

She worried as she rubbed a hand over his head, "Did I hurt you Daryl."

He softly laughed, "Hurt me? Fuck no Baby, ya made me the happiest guy in the world." he gave her a quick kiss adding, "And I hope you're willin' ta make me even happier."

She smiled as her fingers continued to brush the damp hair off his forehead, "I want to make you as happy as you make me."

Her words were like magic, music to his ears. She was on her back and he was on his side, his body pushed close to hers. He kissed her lips as he gently let the back of his hand glide along her chest to her breast where he took the nipple between his thumb and forefinger, rolling and squeezing it.

When she whimpered, "Daryl, you're…oh Daryl, it feels so good." He began to kiss his way back to her breast and then she surprised him. No sooner was his mouth on breast than she lifted her knees and raised her bottom an inch or so off the bed, inviting him in.

He didn't rush it though, he continued to suck and nibble at her sweet little breast, while his finger slipped in her and his thumb rubbed at her clit. She stunned them both when she begged, "Please Daryl, please. I can't wait any more, I need you now."

He didn't argue. He slipped his finger out, kissing her tummy while he reached his hand in the cubby and pulled out the packet.

He knelt between her raised knees, smiling down at her while he tore the packet open and rolled the condom on. She watched him, smiled back and got honest, "I never thought I'd want to do this with a man, I mean really want to. Beg for it even. But I want it with you Daryl. So much."

He stretched his arms out, palms resting on either side of her face as he leaned in close and answered, "You're the only woman I'ma ever want this with Baby. Just you. Ya own my fuckin' ass."

She giggled and he just kept smiling as he began to tease her pussy with his tip, "Ready?"

"So ready for you."

That's all he wanted and needed to hear. He took it like he'd taken everything that night, slow and steady. As he entered her he heard her make a low humming noise, almost like the purr of a cat and he, the man who'd never been a talker during sex, told her over and over, "Ya feel so good Baby, so damn good."

He kept the slow pace, steadily moving in and out of her until she wrapped her legs around him and grabbed at his back begging, "Please Daryl, please quit teasing me."

He smiled, moved a little faster, leaning in to kiss her and nuzzle her neck, then he took her breast in his mouth once more. She was moving her body on his now, matching him stroke for stroke while over and over she whispered, "Daryl, oh Daryl."

He slid his hand under her bottom, pulling her closer to him and she sensed why, the closer their bodies could get the better the friction on her swollen clit. She gripped him harder, raised her hips higher, and as she wrapped her legs around him more tightly she squeezed him with her pussy.

He'd never felt anything quite like it and he responded with harder, deeper and faster strokes. She was louder, "Daryl, oh my gawd, Daryl, it feels so good.'

"I'ma lose it Baby." He leaned down biting at her nipple while he slipped his hand from her bottom and slid it between them. He found her clit and rubbed at it with his thumb while he thrust into her as hard, as fast and as deep as he could go.

He felt it, the quaking of her body while it seemed to be shivering all over, and again he watched as she came, loudly calling, "Daryl, oh my gawd Daryl."

He came with her while he hoarsely answered her call, "Baby, damn Beth, damn..."

They collapsed side by side on the bed, both of them sated and happy in their shared love, and exhausted. He reached for her hand, his voice low and still hoarse, "I love ya so fuckin' much Baby."

"And I love you more."

"More huh? Now ya wanna fight about who loves who more?"

"Maybe in the morning. I'm too tired right now."

"Ya sleep Baby. Sleep."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd say they're enjoying the camping trip and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a comment / review and let me know. Next week we pick up right back in the camper and still in bed. We'll spend the whole chapter in the wilderness with our couple. I hope to see you Friday for more of Lady Luck. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I thank you all so much :) Our couple finally admitted their love and consummated that love. Now, here they are in the little camper in the wilderness, and in the snow. It's a slice of Bethyl life with a little misunderstanding, a little making up, and in the end someone let's a cat out of the bag. I hope you enjoy!

00

She woke sometime in the night lying flat on her tummy, naked under a pile of blankets. That wasn't what woke her. It was her husband who woke her.

He was softly rubbing his hand along the side of her body, all the way down to her knees and back up to her shoulders. His warm rough palm just kept slowly gliding along her sensitive skin while he kissed and licked his way down her back.

He stopped when he got to the curve of her bottom and began sucking. Not too hard, but hard enough they both knew it would leave a mark.

She was sleepy yet aroused and her voice a little raspy when she asked, "Daryl, what are you doing?"

He stopped only long enough to answer, "I'm givin' ya a hickey."

She had yet to open her eyes but she laughed softly when she asked, "Why?"

His answer was simple and honest, "Cuz it's fun."

In spite of the silliness, his play had awakened a need in her. She slowly rolled over, ran a finger along his jawline and asked, "Just how many hickeys are you planning to give me?"

"I's thinkin' just the one, after that I had some other things in mind I thought might be kinda fun."

She nodded while giving him a warm and still sleepy smile, "I see. Alright then." She rolled over, her back once again facing him as she snuggled close to her husband. He took the time to finish what he'd started, grinned as he rubbed his hand over the red mark and then his hand began to wander. Eventually finding itself between her legs.

At first he gently skimmed along the warm soft skin of her inner thighs, but when she let out a moan that let him know she was yearning for something more, he let his hand ease up until it caressed that warm and already wet place.

He kept his hand on her, gently teasing and caressing as he tenderly kissed her shoulder and rubbed his hardness up against her bottom. When she wiggled her bottom, rubbing back and letting it push up against his hardness, he took his cue. His finger slipped inside her.

She made a sound that started out as a little squeal, but quickly mellowed into soft and contented acceptance, "Oh…mmm…Daryl…"

He'd woken ready for her and this time he didn't go at a leisurely pace, they were both too needy. He wrapped his other arm under her, reaching for her breast. He pinched, rolled and teased the nipple and his wife reacted. She was squirming, almost fighting him to roll over as she sought more of him.

They were both breathing hard, groaning and rubbing as close to each other as they could get. It surprised her how good the hardness of him felt almost pushing into her bottom that way, and she was so ready for him. He was somewhere far beyond ready for her.

He stopped only long enough to reach for the packet he'd stashed under his pillow, lay on his back and quickly roll the condom on.

She'd rolled onto her back as well, watching him and smiling and as he turned toward her she clasped her hand on his shoulder, whispered, "Daryl," and spread her legs for him. He moved his body between her thighs and began to tease her swollen lips with the tip of his hard cock. She was sore from their earlier lovemaking, but her desire for him was so strong she didn't care.

When he smiled down at her and asked, "Ya ready Baby?"

She answered with an almost pleading tone, "Yes. Don't make me wait."

00

The second time she woke he was kissing her ear, "Mornin' Baby. Ya sleep okay?"

"Mostly, except for some guy who woke me up in the middle of the night. I'm not sure if it really happened or if I dreamed it, but I think we did something together. Something that felt so good. After that I just kind of passed out."

He felt the slight tremble of her body as she tried to hold her laughter in, he asked, "Some guy huh? Hmph. Did ya like it? Did ya have fun?"

"As a matter of fact I liked it a lot, but I don't think I'd like it with anyone else, just him. He's very special. After all, he's the man of my dreams. And fun? I had so much fun. I hope he shows up again sometime soon."

His hand rubbed along the curve of her bottom and he whispered, "That guy is one lucky sumbitch." Then he softly patted her butt and asked, "Ya hungry? I'm starving."

"Are you ever _not_ starving Daryl?"

"Shit girl, it's your fault. Ya know ya worked me pretty damn hard last night, then ya got me all excited again in the middle a the night, made me work s'more. You're wearin' me out Baby, makin' me hungry in all the kindsa ways a man can be hungry."

She was laughing by then, "I'm sorry I've been taking such terrible advantage of you Honey but you know, I got quite a little workout myself." She roughed a hand through his hair and said, "I'm hungry too, I'll make us breakfast."

"Nope. You're gonna stay in here where it's warm. I'ma go build us a campfire and cook breakfast outside."

"Honey it's freezing out there."

"Yeah Baby, but look." He slid the little curtain by their bed open and she smiled at the sight of the freshly fallen snow glistening under the light of the rising sun.

"Oh my gosh, it's beautiful. We should build a snowman! Oh, and let's have a snowball fight too!"

"Ya ain't s'posed ta make an announcement about a snowball fight. You're s'posed ta be sneaky, catch a guy when he least expects it with a hard, fast one right ta the face."

"Please don't do that to me Daryl."

"Really Baby? Ya really think I would? Pft"

"No, not really." She was laughing while she rolled in his arms, looked at him, tickled his side and said, "But I might try to do that to you."

"Then I wouldn't have a choice. I'd hafta shove a big cold handful a snow down the back a your pants."

"Okay, never mind, let's just stay in bed."

"Believe me Baby, if I get my way we'll be spendin' plenty a time in the sack the next couple days. But right now I'ma fix us sumthin' ta eat. We're gonna need fuel for all this work we're doin'."

She laid under the covers watching as he pulled on the thermal underwear, deciding his butt looked pretty darn cute in those things. She kept watching as he slipped a snug fitting Henley shirt over his head, and admired how it so nicely showed off his muscular arms and broad shoulders.

There were the Carhart pants that had a very nice fit in the butt, the cozy-looking flannel shirt, the thick wool socks and the big lace up boots. A thought crossed her mind that brought a smile to her face, she had her very own mountain man.

They'd been open and intimate with each other and she saw no reason not to tell him, "I have to say Honey, watching you get dressed is the next best thing to watching you undress."

He looked at her, half smiling as her took the back of her head in his broad hand. He pulled her close, kissed her hard, drew back and promised, "I'll take it all off for ya soon. Shit, I'll put on a regular show just for you Baby." He kissed her again and said, "Ya stay inside now. I'll be back when I get the fire goin'."

Before venturing out he pulled on his watch cap, the heavy coat and thick gloves.

* * *

She reluctantly crawled out from under the nice warm covers, taking a few steps to the small bathroom. She filled the tiny sink with hot water and did her best to wash herself. As she stood naked and shivering from the cold she remembered how she'd argued with him, insisting she didn't need anything like "ugly old long underwear." Now, as the cold stung her body she was grateful he'd won that battle.

She moved quickly and as soon as she was done washing she hurried to slip the long underwear on. She followed those with jeans, an undershirt and a flannel shirt. She still felt the chill and decided to top it all off with a hoodie. She pulled on the thick wool socks he'd also insisted she get, but not the snow boots which she'd also argued with him about. She was happy to have them now, but she didn't need snow boots in the snug little camper.

She made one big decision. From then on she'd trust her husband's judgement when it came to all things outdoorsy.

As soon as she was dressed she scooted onto the dinette seat and got up on her knees. She peered out the side window hoping to see her husband. She was just in time to watch as he set down a huge armload of firewood he'd collected. She continued to watch him as he shoveled snow away to make a circular area of dry, bare earth. Enough of an area to build the fire.

He crouched down and began with a few pine cones he retrieved from his coat pockets, setting them in the center of the circle. Next he set a pile of kindling, and bits of what looked to be dry bark on the pine cones, then reached inside his coat to his shirt pocket and got a box of matches. He bent down close to the little pile as he struck a match, touching the flame to the pine cones and dry bark.

He cupped the small flame between open hands and she could see his breath as he blew gently until the little blaze took hold. He knocked the snow off the wood he'd gathered and began to set it in an orderly stack atop the flickering little fire, stopping every now and again to blow gently on the flames.

He stood and watched until a good fire was burning, nodded his head and began walking toward the camper. He looked up and saw her watching him through the window, they smiled and waved at each other before he uncovered the outdoor kitchen.

He got in his camp box, pulled out two frying pans and set them on the Coleman stove. Then dug in the cooler for the foods he needed. She just kept watching him and thinking how lucky she was to have a man so willing and capable.

When she smelled the bacon cooking she suddenly realized no matter how much she enjoyed watching him, she'd better quit staring at her husband and get some coffee going. Soon the old percolator was doing its job on the stove while she set the table, got orange juice out, and opened the plastic container of sweet rolls she'd made.

She peeked out the window, saw her husband busily loading their plates and hurried to open the door for him. It was a shock when the freezing air hit her in the face. "Daryl, Honey, hurry, get in out of the cold."

He handed her the plates, took a second to hit his boots against the bumper of the truck in an effort to knock the snow off, and hurried inside. As soon as he closed the door he bent down, pulled the shoelaces open and yanked the boots from his feet. "Damn, it's colder than I thought out there."

She was helping him with his coat and mildly reprimanding him, "You should have let me cook for you in here. Come, sit and drink your coffee. Try and get warmed up."

"Slide in first, k? I wanna sit next to ya." She did and he plopped down beside her, kissed the side of her head and said, "coffee smells good," then quickly took one of the sweet pastries and dunked it in his cup. Consuming at least half of it in one bite.

She giggled, "I just love how you so enjoy your food your way."

"I got bad manners, don't I?"

"Oh I've seen you use good ones, at my Daddy's house and stuff."

"I guess I'm just more relaxed around ya Baby."

"I think that's good."

He looked so concerned when he asked, "You'd let me know if it bothered ya, if I's disgustin' or sumthin', right?"

She nudged an elbow against this side, "Daryl, you're not disgusting. I like how you just go for it when you like something."

"Oh yeah? It took me a while ta just go for it with you."

"Well I wasn't exactly sending signals, was I? From now on though, watch out."

He gently clutched her neck, drew her close and kissed her, then teased, "I'ma keep a real close eye on you girl."

They realized how really hungry they were once they started to eat the bacon, eggs, potatoes and sweet rolls. Their plates were clean in minutes, but they didn't rush to get up from their meal. There was no need. They didn't have anywhere to go and the fact was, even if they did have somewhere they needed to be it would be impossible to get there.

He still hadn't mentioned to her they were most likely going to be snowbound for three or four days, and he thought it was time he did. He began, "Baby, ya know it wasn't s'posed ta snow this much," glanced out the window and couldn't believe what he saw, it was snowing again. "Shit."

Her eyes followed his and she knew, "We're snowed in aren't we Daryl?"

He tried to look and sound reassuring, after all, he wasn't really worried. They had plenty of food, a nice cozy shelter and there was no worry about running out of water. "Yeah it seems we are. I'm sorry Beth. When I heard there was gonna be a little snow I shoulda told ya we needed ta cancel, but I thought we'd be fine."

She looked slightly panicked, "How long before we're not fine?"

He was rubbing his hand along the side of her arm, "Baby, now come on. We could live out here forever if we had to. If we was ta run outta the food we brought I'd get us sumthin'. Meat, fish. We may not have everything but we wouldn't starve. We'd get by. I can take care of ya Beth. I promise that."

She smiled, "You're right. I don't doubt it for a minute Daryl. I think you could survive anything, and I know you'll take care of me."

He kissed her and said, "That's right Baby. I'ma always take care of ya."

It was then he asked her a question that had been on his mind all morning. A question he couldn't wait any longer to have answered.

"So Baby, when we get back home how's this all gonna work? Ya gonna move in my room or am I movin' in your bed?" Then it hit him and he added, "I mean that's assumin' you're gonna let me share a bed with ya."

It was her turn to swallow hard and feel uncomfortable. She tried to put it the best way she could, but later she'd scold herself for the way she voiced her concerns. She should have given it more thought. "I definitely plan on sharing a bed with you Daryl, it's what I want. It makes the most sense for us to share the master bedroom. There's only one problem."

"Problem? Like what kinda problem?"

She didn't want to say it, she didn't really want to know anything. But she knew if the air wasn't cleared now it was going to be something that kept bothering her, maybe for years. She felt her face turn scarlet and her throat go dry. She even thought she might be shaking a little when she got honest with him, "It's just…I don't want to be sleeping in your bed and have to think about all the other women that slept there before me."

She'd caught him completely off guard. He was stunned, hurt, confused and way too angry to respond. He simply rose from his seat, walked over by the door and slipped his feet in the boots. He was lacing them up when she timidly asked, "Daryl?"

He didn't reply, not verbally, his only response was to hold his hand palm up in her direction and shake his head "no" leaving no doubt he did not want to talk about what she'd asked.

He put on his coat, hat and gloves, grabbed the doorknob, took a deep breath and turned to her. "Ya got quite the low opinion a me, don't ya girl?"

Before she could answer he was gone.

She felt the tears quickly come to her eyes but she wasn't going to just sit there and cry. She had to fix this. She hurried into her boots, coat, watch cap and gloves and went after her husband. She was moving too fast and nearly fell getting down the slippery stairs, but she caught herself and hurried to him.

He was standing at the camp kitchen cleaning up the frying pans, but he heard her. He looked her way but he didn't say anything. He simply turned back to his work.

She felt desperate to make things right and she rushed to him, wrapped her arms around his waist and held on as tightly as she could. "I'm sorry, that wasn't fair. I should have…I don't know what I should have said but believe me, I never meant to hurt you."

He wasn't ready to talk about it quite yet. He was still angry and sure he'd lose his temper. The hurt he felt was way too fresh. "Go on now Beth, ya get back inside. It's cold out here an I got stuff ta do."

She didn't argue. She backed away from him, but she didn't leave. She wouldn't leave. They had to work this out. His back was too her and she took her chances. Maybe it would lighten the mood. Either that or he'd be even madder at her. It was worth the gamble.

She packed that snowball nice and tight, wound up like she was pitching in the world series and hucked it as hard as she could.

Her aim was true and in the thin cold air it hit the back of his head hard, making a noise like he'd been slapped hard. He grabbed at his head as he turned and snarled, "The fuck…" and he was after her.

She did her best as she tried to run from him, but in the deep snow she didn't get more than five feet away before he tackled her and they both fell to the ground. "Ya asked for it girl. I'ma get in your pants right now an it ain't gonna be for fun."

She was trying to get away, fighting and pushing, but also laughing and begging, "No Daryl! Please no!"

"Beggin' ain't gonna do ya no good, ya pissed me off twice now in ten minutes." He didn't really plan to stuff snow down her pants. He'd never treat her that way. It was harmless play, he was just teasing her while he tried to work out some of the anger and hurt he felt.

He let her think she'd been able to get loose from him and he gave her a few seconds "head start." She scrambled to her feet and started to run. That's when he jumped up to rush after her as he hollered, "I'm gonna get ya so bad Beth Dixon."

He was trying not to laugh as he took a long lumbering step toward her, then out of the blue she yelped and hit the ground. He was by her side in seconds, "Beth, what the fuck? What happened?"

He saw the tears in her eyes as she struggled to sit upright, "My ankle…I don't know. I caught my foot on a rock or stump or something and tripped."

"Lemme see." He took her lower leg in his hands, opened the laces of the boot and felt her ankle, "Can ya move it?" He asked.

She winced just a little, but she managed to move it and he seemed relieved, "I don't think it's broke. Not even sprained really, ya just twisted it is all. C'mon, lemme help ya in the camper."

He got on his feet and gave her an arm up. She was leaning on him and he was looking at her, and even as concerned as he was, he was still feeling deeply hurt by the words she said. "I oughta throw your ass over my shoulder right now n give ya a good spankin'."

She looked right back at him and said, "Oh yeah? Well you don't scare me Mister Dixon, it might even be kind of fun."

It should have been funny. It was funny, sexy even. He should have laughed, she should have laughed. He should have picked her up and pretended to spank her and it may very well have led to other things. But his words and her words together had triggered something deep in his sub conscience.

He put strong hands on her hips and she put hers on his hips. He looked gruff and his voice was gruffer when he demanded to know, "Tell me ya know I'd never really hit ya? Tell me right now that ya know that Beth. Swear ta me ya ain't scared I'd ever do it. That I'd ever raise a hand to ya."

For just a moment she'd been confused by the almost desperate concern he had, then it came to her. She got it and she hated that he would worry about such things. "No Daryl, no of course I don't think you'd hurt me. We were playing, that's all. I was relieved you weren't acting too mad at me. I didn't for one minute feel scared you were going to physically hurt me. I promise. I've never worried about anything like that with you. I never will."

That did it. As much as he wanted to stay mad, at least for a while longer, he couldn't. He pulled her closer, burying his face in her neck. Although she wasn't sure, and she would never ask him, she thought he might have cried a little.

They held each other that way until after a few moments he leaned back far enough to look in her eyes. He smiled when he said, "I'ma turn ya over my knee alright girl, an I got every intention a pullin' your panties down. But I ain't gonna be spankin' ya. I got other things on my mind."

"Promise?"

It was like the switch got flipped and his face, right along with his mood, turned dark again, "Before we think about that, a lot a other stuff's gonna happen. First I'ma take a better look at that ankle, then we're gonna have us a serious talk. I ain't lettin' what ya said just go by Beth. I can't. Before you n me go down this road any farther we're gonna hafta see about this low opinion ya got a your husband. When we're done talkin' about all that, then…well…then we'll see."

He helped her in the camper, got in right behind her and took her hat, gloves, coat, and boots off. Then he sat her down at the dinette. She didn't resist or offer to do it herself. She'd already angered him enough and it was clear he was a man on a mission.

He removed his own outdoor wear then got the first aid kit from under the sink. He sat next to her and instructed, "Set that foot here on my leg." He sounded so cranky it was like he was growling at her. He also didn't wait for her to lift her foot up, he grabbed it and lifted it there himself.

He pulled her sock down, checked closely and didn't see a cut or scrape, no redness, nothing. "It don't look hurt."

"It isn't hurt. I'm just clumsy and I told you there was a rock or stump or something and I caught my foot on it. I'm fine."

"Yeah well, it coulda been a lot worse. Ya shoulda just stayed in here ta begin with."

"Daryl, I didn't want you to be mad at me and I knew you were really mad. I know you still are. It's just that…"

She didn't get to finish, he held up his palm, "No. Don't start tryin' ta explain shit. Ya said what ya said an now I'ma say what I have ta say about it."

She nodded, "You're right."

He was chewing on his thumb when wham, it came out all at once, "I guess I thought ya thought a little better a me. I told ya I been with some women, I even had a woman or two I saw a few times. Not like datin', just bar friends. Shit Beth, I'm 30 fuckin' years old, so yeah, I been with a few women. But I ain't some sleaze ball bringin' a different woman home every damn weekend. That ain't me an I thought ya knew that Beth."

"Here's some other truth for ya. I ain't ever brought a woman ta my place. Never. Never had a woman in my bed. I never had no one over ta my place but Merle, and he don't come by often cuz he knows me. Knows what I'm about."

"It was always just my place, my safety zone. I never wanted anyone else there." He bit his lip again, looked hard into her eyes and said, "Not til you Beth. You're the only woman, fuck you're the only person I ever wanted in my house. The only one I ever wanted in my bed. You Baby."

He'd begun to sound like he was mellowing a little, but then he sounded angry again when he asked, "Can't ya see that? Fuck can't ya feel it? Didn't I lay in that bed with ya n tell ya I love ya? I mighta had sex with a few women but you're the only woman I ever made love to. The only woman I ever wanna be with. I don't wanna feel like ya think you're with some shitbag. I hope you'd think ya got a good man."

She couldn't take another second of it. She didn't say anything, not right away. First she scooted up on her knees and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He made a half-hearted attempt to push her away, but she wasn't letting go. Period.

Her face so close to his that their noses were practically touching. "I love you so much Daryl Dixon, and I'm so sorry for anything I've said or done to hurt you. Nothing would make me happier than to share your bed for the rest of my life. I don't just think you're a good man I know you are. You're the best person I know Daryl."

His hands gently grasped her head and he looked in her eyes like he was reading something there. After a moment he reached a hand around far enough to grip the band that held her hair and pull it free. Although he had yet to smile at her, his face was relaxed as he began to slowly twist and rub the curly strands of her hair between his fingers, his eyes still staring into hers.

She knew what he was doing, he was feeling it. Not her hair, he was feeling the moment. Letting things settle in his heart and in his mind. They'd both been living such simple lives alone and then it all changed overnight. So many things had happened in such a short time. To them, and around them, and they were still trying to figure it all out. They were still getting to know each other.

There was only one thing either of them knew for sure. He took in a breath and put a voice to it, "I love ya Beth."

"I love you Daryl."

00

When his brother and Beth didn't show up for work Tuesday morning Merle knew why. He talked a little about it with Abe, "Hell it don't take a genius ta figure this shit out. It's been snowin' like a bastard up in the mountains. Ain't no way Daryl's dumb enough ta try n drive that truck down the mountain."

Abe was nodding his head, "A fuckin' mess even here in town. Whaddya wanna do man? I'm with ya whatever."

"I ain't real concerned, not yet. They got plenty a food, fuel, shelter and they got each other ta stay warm. I'm gonna see how things go tonight n tomorrow. If I don't see him by Thursday mornin' we'll have ta take some kinda action. Call search n rescue maybe, sumthin'."

Lunch time came and Jim walked out the shop entrance on his way to the café down the block. All he had in mind was getting himself a hot hamburger sandwich. Some local yokel newscaster caught him before he'd gotten 20 feet, asking, "Where are the newlywed millionaires? I'd love to get a few words with them."

Jim didn't think a thing of it. Could never have imagined his answer would cause all hell to break loose all the way from Smithton, Georgia to Las Vegas, Nevada. He shrugged his shoulders and answered, "Um, they went campin' over the weekend an now they got themselves snowed in on a mountain. Stuck there. I ain't sure when or how they're gonna get down."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our couple had some fun, got through some serious talk and all seems kind of perfect up in the mountains. Jim, oops Jim. We'll see what that leads too, and of course how our couple is doing in the snow, next chapter. In the meantime, I'd appreciate you leaving a comment or review here. I hope to see you all back next Friday for more of Lady Luck. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much. I heard from both sides of the fence regarding Beth's remark and Daryl's reaction, as well as several who saw everyone's side. The good news is they were able to talk about it and work things out.  
> We left our couple still happily snowed in, but poor Jim, he wasn't quite thinking when he let that cat out of the bag. Let's see what happens next.

 

00

Merle had no idea Jim talked to a reporter. What he did think about was Beth's Daddy may try to call her, then worry and maybe call the cops when he couldn't reach her. Little brother had mentioned her old Daddy was protective of his girl. Merle didn't fault the man for that. Shit, if he had a sweet young daughter he'd be the same way.

He smiled at the thought. No. Not quite the same. If he had a sweet young daughter he'd have her under lock and key, with an armed guard watching over her.

That's why as soon as they locked up the shop Tuesday he hopped on his bike and rode over to the Greene Farm.

The old man must have heard the motorcycle coming because when Merle brought it to a stop at the end of the driveway, there the old fella was. He was holding a 12 gauge pointed right at him. Merle stayed cool as he held his hands up with palms out to indicate he had no ill intent. "I ain't here for trouble sir. I'm lookin' for Hershel Greene and I expect you're him."

"Who wants to know?"

"Name's Merle Dixon, I'm Daryl's brother."

The shotgun came down, the hand was extended and the old man apologized, "Sorry son. Being out here alone I tend to get a little jittery about strangers."

"I understand sir, I'd be the same way myself. No offense taken." So far so good, but then again, Merle hadn't strolled out into the deep shit yet.

Beth's Daddy invited Merle in and offered him a glass of sweet tea. Merle was a man who would much prefer a nice cold beer after work, but he was well aware of the company he was in, "That sounds like just the thing after a day on the job. Thank ya sir."

He was trying to be polite. He planned to bring it up as soon as they had their tea, but her Daddy's question beat him to it, "Have you seen or heard from Daryl and Beth since they got home? I tried to call my daughter but her phone went right to that recording stuff."

"Well now sir that's what I come ta talk to ya about. The first thing I wanna assure ya of is, I know right where they are. Daryl told me their plans before he left. They were real well thought out plans too sir. I know he took a lotta extra food and fuel."

That's when Hershel Greene put the brakes on Merle Dixon, "What're you gettin' at son? Are you telling me they're still up in the wilderness _in this snow_?!"

All Merle could do was try to calm the waters, "Well yes sir, they are. That's why I come out here. I wanted ta make ya aware a the situation and let ya know not ta worry. I got no doubt my brother could make do in the wilderness from now til doomsday. That boy's a survivor and he's well-prepared. He took plenty of everythin' and he's a solid outdoors man. He's got a sense a direction like a da...dang GPS and he can hunt down all the food they'd ever need. I'm tellin' ya sir, he'll take good care. He ain't gonna let nuthin' happen ta your girl, his wife. I'd bet my own life on that."

00

As it turned out, Merle's decision to visit Hershel Greene came just in the nick of time. Had Merle not talked to him that night it could have been real bad. When Beth's Daddy sat down in his easy chair, picked up the remote and flipped on the evening news he would surely have panicked.

The news anchor was chock full of false concern and theatrics as he dramatically announced, "Ladies and gentleman, tonight's lead story has frightening implications regarding the well-being of the newlywed millionaires, Beth and Daryl Dixon. I know you all remember how excited Beth was just last week when she mentioned their upcoming camping trip."

He looked down, shook his head as if the news couldn't get more heartbreaking, then continued, "It seems everyone's favorite young couple went into the wilderness on the honeymoon camping trip of their dreams, a trip they were so thrilled about. We must tragically report the dream trip has become a nightmare. They've failed to return as expected."

It didn't seem possible but the reporter's voice took on an even more dramatic tone when he added, "With the snow that fell Saturday and Sunday it's feared they may be trapped and unable to get to safety. According to one of their work colleagues, and I quote, 'no one knows how they're going to get down.'"

Merle was on his way home from the Greene farm, having no idea his brother and sister in law were the story of the day. All he knew was the phone in his shirt pocket never stopped vibrating and he never stopped cussing at it under his breath, "Get the fuck off my ass."

He pulled in his driveway still mumbling, "The fuck..." as he pulled it from his pocket and saw he had seven missed calls from Carol.

He was still on his bike when he pushed the autodial. He never got a chance to say "hello." Carol was in full panic mode and talking a mile a minute before he was finally able to break in, "Catch a breath sweetheart, c'mon now. Don't ya think I'da called ya right away if I thought they was in trouble?"

"No, I got no idea who talked ta the reporter. I just know it sure as fuck wasn't me. A'ight, yeah sure. I don't think ya need ta come but I'll sure be glad ta see ya. Any time I get ta spend with you is good time. Yeah, yeah a course I'll come get ya at the airport. On the bike? No problem, if ya want a bike ride I'm your man. Ya gonna stay here at the house with me? Good, then I'm a happy boy. See ya soon sweetheart."

There was a little something else they talked about and as soon as Merle was off the phone with Carol, he was dialing a wiry little bad ass named Dwight, "Yeah buddy, I got a protection job for ya. He's an old guy out there on the farm alone. My brother's father in law. I don't want no one, especially not them fuckin' news people, botherin' him. If any come round ya run em off."

When he was off the phone with Dwight he called Hershel Greene. "Yeah I understand sir. I know ya got a gun and I know ya can take care a yourself, but these news folks don't give up and we don't want em botherin' ya. Ain't nuthin' social about it. Dwight ain't comin' in your house. He ain't gonna be there ta visit. He'll be parked out front, outta your way. It ain't ta cause any trouble, it's ta stop any trouble."

He got off the phone mumbling to himself, "Fuck, little brother goes off ta have him a good time an it turns into a full time job for me."

He wasn't upset in the least, in fact he was smiling when he said it. He'd be heading to the airport to pick up someone he hadn't expected to have back so soon. Someone he wanted back.

It would be a mostly sleepless night for Merle Dixon and he didn't mind at all.

* * *

Jim went straight to Merle first thing the next morning, owning up to what he'd done, "I wasn't thinkin' bout secrets and I blew it Merle. I didn't think nuthin' about nuthin' except I was hungry and Mert's had a hot hamburger special. I didn't realize til last night when I sat down ta the evenin' news what I'd done. I'm real sorry man."

Merle just clapped him on the back and told him, "Don't feel too bad Jim. It ain't in your job description ta worry bout keepin' anyone's secrets. Anyway, it's done now and we'll handle it."

No sooner was Merle done talking to Jim than in walked the sheriff, Rick Grimes. "Well hey there sheriff, we don't see much a you around here. What can I help ya with?"

"I was wondering if I could help you Merle, or Daryl really. Do we need to get a search team together?"

"Nah, I ain't worried at all Rick. I know Daryl, you know Daryl, he's got this." And Merle proceeded to tell the sheriff about the supplies and the camper and how he was sure all was well.

"Yeah, alright. We'll put it on hold for now, but keep me posted. I can't let this go on forever. I got every pain-in-the-ass news personality from the left coast to the right coast calling me for a statement."

00

There was nothing really to be done. It would be foolish to risk an attempt down the mountain. Especially when they had everything they needed right there. Food, shelter and most importantly each other.

Daryl wasn't concerned, he knew they'd be fine for as long as they needed to be. Beth was a little uneasy at first, but then again, she'd seen her husband in action. She knew Daryl could provide everything they needed. They were enjoying the proof of that Tuesday afternoon.

The campfire was blazing and next to it was a far smaller version, a cooking fire. He had a makeshift rotisserie above the hot coals and the two rabbits he'd snared were roasting over it. They still had plenty of food that they'd brought with them, but it would keep. They agreed this would be fun.

They sat in the camp chairs as close to each other as they could get, and as close to the fire as was safe. They were dressed in full winter gear and he'd covered them with one of the quilts from the bed. They were warm and cozy watching the fire burn and listening to the wood crackle, as they sipped on the drinks he'd made them.

She was surprised how good it tasted. She never expected to care for whiskey but the way he'd made it for her it was delicious. He'd heated the leftover coffee, and in another pan some milk mixed with a generous portion of honey and a little cinnamon. Just as the milk began to scald he poured it in a mug to halfway, then added the coffee leaving just enough room for the final ingredient, a shot of the whiskey.

For himself, he'd simply poured a generous portion of the liquor in his water glass. They smiled at each other as they sat snugly under the blanket sipping the alcohol.

She'd never been one to eat a lot of meat but the rabbit smelled delicious and the fire was warm. Her drink was both tasty and comforting and she knew all the good feels she was experiencing were because of him. He'd done all of this. She told him as much, "You amaze me Daryl. If there was ever some big apocalyptic event and the world as we know it was to come to an end, I have no doubt at all that you'd survive. You'd be the last man standing."

He shook his head, "Yeah well if that was true you'd be the last woman standin' cuz if you wasn't with me I wouldn't give a fuck. That's the truth."

"Yes you would." She smiled as she leaned in and kissed his cheek, "Of course you'd miss me so bad, but you'd go on. You're a survivor Daryl Dixon."

"Shit Baby, this talk is morbid. Can we discuss sumthin' else? Anythin' else?"

"Yes, we could discuss how after we eat we can finally build that snowman. You remember don't you Daryl? The snowman you promised we'd build?"

He squinted an eye at her, "Yeah, yeah I remember. I's hopin' you'd forget."

"I know you're not looking forward to it as much as I am, but let me give you something to think about Mister Dixon. By the time we get that snowman built we'll be so cold we'll probably need to get in bed just to get warm."

He shook his head as he tried hard to hide his laughter, "It's startin' ta sound like it could be fun."

00

By Wednesday morning she was desperate. Over breakfast she told him, "I've been getting by okay washing up in the sink, but if I don't wash my hair pretty soon I swear I'll go crazy."

"Yeah, mine's kinda grungy too. We can make it work. I'll wash yours, you wash mine. But ya only got a choice of dish soap or bar soap."

"No, I have something! Before we left Vegas I put four of those fancy little bottles of shampoo and conditioner in my toiletry bag and they're still in it."

He grinned when he teased her, "Damn Baby, ya got this roughin' it shit down pat, don't ya?"

After breakfast he went out, dug in his camp box and took out the biggest pot he had. He added more wood to the campfire, packed the pot as tight as he could with snow and set it close enough to the fire for the snow to melt and the water to warm.

He got the second pot from inside, the big stew pot that had been left for them. He filled it with snow and set it on the burner, explaining to her. "I'ma try not ta use too much propane or waste any a the water from our fresh tank. I'ma open the valve outside an let the gray water we use just hit the ground."

When the water was sufficiently heated he smiled at her, "You getta go first. Take off your shirt, otherwise it's gonna get wet. I'ma do this as fast as I can so ya don't get cold. K?"

She couldn't imagine how it was going to work out but she wanted her hair clean bad enough to give it a try. "Okay."

He set the dishpan of hot water in the kitchen sink and had her bend over face first. He had a tumbler he dipped in the pan, scooped it full of water and poured it in her hair, over and over until it was good and wet.

He looked at all those wet blonde curls and squeezed a generous amount shampoo in his hands, rubbed them together and then ran them slowly through her hair. His body was pressed tight against her while his fingers massaged her scalp. All she could think was how good it felt and how she never thought getting her hair washed could be such a sensual experience. "mmm that feels so good Daryl. I'm going to let you wash my hair from now on."

He leaned in even closer, kissed her bare shoulder and whispered, "Yeah? Well then I guess when we get back home we better start showerin' together."

"That sounds pretty nice to me."

He dipped the tumbler in the pot on the stove, slowly pouring the warm water through her hair to wash out the suds before massaging the conditioner through the thick curls. He was kissing her shoulder again, then her neck, all while his body rubbed against her. His voice had become raspy as he murmured, "Smells good Baby, you smell good."

When he'd rinsed it again he grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her, turned her toward him and smiled as he toweled her curls as dry as he could get them.

He saw the goose bumps come up on her arms and her nipples were hard from the chill. He wrapped his arms around her. "C'mon, get in the bed an get warmed up. C'mon."

They both smiled as he quickly loosened the button of her jeans, eased the zipper down and in a heartbeat he had her naked. He leaned in and took her breast in his mouth, teasing her nipple with his tongue while he softly sucked. He had to force himself to pull away when she shivered, and he smiled when he apologized, "Sorry, couldn't help myself." Then he hurried as he picked her up off her feet and got her tucked in the bed. All the while they just kept looking in each other's eyes as he hastily removed his own clothes.

As soon as he was naked he laughed and yelled, "Look out Baby, here I come," as he practically dove under the covers with her. They were shivering at first, laughing as they snuggled close and rubbed each others backs and arms, trying to warm up.

The playful laughter soon turned to hungry moans as the touching became more intimate, more sexy. He rubbed his hardness against her as he whispered in her ear, "Guess I'll wait ta get my water heatin' til I finish gettin' you warmed up." He kissed her hard, bopped her nose and teased, "I got priorities."

00

The sun came up big and bright Thursday morning and within half an hour they could hear the snow rapidly beginning to melt. It sounded like a light rain as it dripped from the roof of the camper and the nearby tree branches.

He didn't look especially happy about it when over breakfast he told her, "I think we'll be able ta get outta here tomorrow late mornin'. Don't wanna start out too early, we'll wait and let the sun dry things a little. We should be good ta go bout lunch time."

She didn't look happy either when she shrugged, "Oh. Okay, well I guess that's good."

He put an arm around her and gently tugged her into his side, "It'd suit me just fine if we had ta stay here all winter."

"That's what I was kind of starting to hope would happen. Well, except I'd miss Maggie's wedding and she'd track me down and kill me for ruining it."

He nodded and chuckled agreeing, "I can see your sister climbin' this mountain on her hands and knees just ta slap the crap outta me." He kissed the top of her head, moved his arm so they could eat, then asked, "After we finish here wanna take a walk? It's gonna feel warm with the sun out like this, we can do a little explorin'."

"I'd love that."

He was extra cautious with her so they each had a day pack with a small waterproof container of matches, a couple of energy bars and their metal water bottles. He smiled as he lifted her down from the camper and she held him tight, whispering in his ear, "Are you sure we can't just stay here forever."

He nodded and promised, "Someday Baby. Someday we'll build us a little cabin in the woods, or shit, maybe we'll just get us a piece a land and park the camper on it. Whatever. As long as we're together and away from everyone else I'll be happy."

"Me too Daryl. I wouldn't trade this time I've had alone with you for anything in the world."

He added several logs to the fire before they left camp, explaining, "Don't want it dyin' off while we're gone. I thought we'd sit out here again when we're done explorin'."

"Oh, I'd like that a lot, especially with one of those delicious warm drinks my husband makes."

"I'll make ya all of em ya want."

He held her hand as they tromped through the heavy snow. "If it gets below freezin' tonight this'll all be ice in the mornin'." He shrugged, "Maybe it won't get that cold. We'll hope for the best." Then he kissed her, grinned and said, "Best thing would be another foot a snow and we wouldn't be goin' anywhere."

They weren't moving too fast; it was a lot more work than walking on dry land. But there was no denying it was worth every step. She was lost in wonder at the beauty of it. It looked as if a million sparkling crystals were hanging from the tree branches and dancing on the glistening snow. The sky was a bright aqua blue and there wasn't a cloud to be seen. Without giving it a thought Beth began to sing an old gospel hymn that told of an unclouded day.

He looked at her, "Baby that's real pretty. Ya sure can sing Beth. Ya know ya oughta go ta Nashville and show them folks how it's done."

It's hard to say why she took his words the way she did. Her reaction was immediate and completely unexpected. She threw her arms around his waist and pressed her body into his, "No, I'd have to leave you and I won't ever leave you Daryl. I'd rather be right here in the mountains with you forever than ever leave you to be some Nashville star."

He was stunned and confused by her response to what he thought was an innocent comment, a compliment really. He rubbed a hand over her back, bent to kiss her forehead and assured her, "I wouldn't want ya ta leave me Baby, not ever. I didn't mean it like that. I's just sayin' you're that good that you could make it."

He leaned back and placed his hands on her shoulders. His eyes were trained on hers and he spoke earnestly, "Baby, I'm yours, you're mine, we're always gonna be together. Ain't either of us goin' anywhere, that's what I want, that's what I hope, that's what we promised each other. K?"

"Okay. That's what I want too." Her cheeks turned a bright pink and her voice was a little shaky when she admitted, "I don't know why I reacted like that. I just got so emotional. I…Daryl, I can't imagine being apart from you. We haven't been together very long at all and I used to think stuff like that mattered. Now I know it doesn't matter. I believe it with all my heart, we were meant to meet that night. We were always meant to be together. Forever."

Her words got to his heart and now it was him feeling a bit overwhelmed. He wanted to say something as meaningful as what she'd said, but he couldn't find the words. He did all he could. He clasped her face in gloved hands, kissed her deeply and with as much love as a kiss can impart, then softly whispered, "That's everythin' I believe too."

They held on and after a moment he kissed her again, grinned and asked, "How bout some a that explorin'?"

She thought she'd never see anything more beautiful than what she'd already seen, until they got to the river's edge. She smiled up at her husband when she said, "This must be what heaven looks like."

It was nature at its purest, it's most unspoiled. The water was moving swiftly over smooth rocks and small downed tree limbs, creating a series of beautiful miniature waterfalls.

The rushing water sparkled under the glow of the bright sun, and it was so pristine that where quiet pools formed she could clearly see the river bottom. "I've never seen anything prettier Daryl."

"I have. I seen one thing prettier than this."

"No. Really? What?"

He grinned, gave her a tender little kiss and said, "You Baby. I seen you."

They stood holding hands and staring at the beauty until she asked, "See that spot over there Daryl?" She pointed to an area about fifteen yards away. An expanse of untouched white snow.

"Yeah, it's pretty like a big ol' fluffy white blanket."

"Exactly. Let's go make snow angels." She shocked him when she added, "Then I want you to make love to me."

"In the snow Baby? You'll freeze that pretty little ass right off." But an idea came to him and he gave her a devilish grin. "Not here, I got another idea. But yeah, let's make an angel. I never have done that." He took her hand and started to walk that way, then paused and looked at her, "Never made love in the snow either. Never done a lotta things til I knew you Beth Dixon."

They spread their feet apart, stretched their arms out as far as they could, held hands and laughed as they fell backward into the soft snow waving their arms and legs across it to form their wings. As they stood and admired their work he smiled like a happy little kid, "Let's do it again."

Two more angels each and they were making their way back to the camper, his "idea" on their minds.

He stopped when they got to their campfire, piling on more logs, smiled at her as he took her hand and said, "This is gonna be fun."

She stood waiting for him by the now blazing fire, while he hurried to the camper and retrieved a big quilt from the bed. He hurried back with it and they each took an end while walking backward until it was taut, then making one fold in it.

They were grinning and she was giggling as they lay it on the ground, as close to the fire as they could safely get. They took their gloves, hats and coats off and he held the corner of the blanket while she hurried to slip in between the folds and he was quick to follow.

They were both fully aware, this time it was all about some fun and adventure, not some love scene from a romance novel. He slipped his hand up her shirt and teased, "I told ya, ya don't need this damn bra Baby, it just gets in the way of good times."

She giggled, shook her head and promised, "I'll keep that in mind from now on."

They weren't about to take their clothes off, just the minimum required to do what they wanted to do. He slid his hands in her pants, pushing them down only as far as he had too. She laughed, "Geez you were right, my butt is freezing."

He rubbed his hand back and forth over it and promised, "I'll do my best ta warm ya up Baby." He hurried to slide his own pants down just as far as he needed. "C'mon Baby, you're turn up top. This ground is as hard as I am and I don't want ya gettin' hurt."

00

Friday morning at eleven the little camp was packed up and they were just starting down the mountain. Beth's eyes got a little teary when she told him, "I hate to leave. I don't want to."

"I hate it too Baby. We're just gonna hafta come back soon, and we're gonna hafta make sure we get a lot more time alone at home."

They heard the helicopter and he wondered if it was a search party, then three quarters of the way down they met Merle and Abe riding snow machines on their way up.

Merle walked over to the truck and rested his forearm on the window frame. His smile was a mile wide and he winked when he asked, "So, ya have a nice honeymoon did ya?"

Daryl flipped him off but he couldn't help his own big grin when he answered, "Yeah as a matter a fact we did. What's up? Where'd ya get the machines?"

"Rented the machines but I think we need ta start sellin' em at Road Ragin', and whaddya mean what's up? Half the fuckin' country is on pins and needles. Their sayin' prayers and lightin' candles, waitin' for word on the millionaire newlyweds. That's search and rescue flyin' around and they got guys on the ground searchin' too, but I mighta accidentally mislead em just a little bout where ya were."

"Me n Abe decided we should come lookin' for ya, rescue your young asses ourselves." He chuckled and corrected himself, "Well not you, we don't give two shits bout you, it's the little one we come ta save."

"Just what I thought brother."

Abe chimed in a warning, "When we hit the highway you're gonna wanna head the hell back up this way. There's a rescue team in place, there's TV people, radio people and just plain crazy-as-fuck people. T-Dog is down there tryin' ta keep em all at bay."

Daryl chewed his lip and said, "Ah fuck. I forgot bout all those dumb asses."

Beth's hand covered her mouth and she looked half scared when she said, "Oh no, my poor Daddy must be worried sick."

Merle spoke softly as he did his best to ease her mind, "Don't ya worry now little one. I talked ta your Daddy right away on Tuesday. He ain't exactly happy bout all this, but it seems he trusts your husband ta keep ya safe."

"Thank you so much Merle. I know my Daddy and he would have been worried to death."

Daryl nodded, "Yeah thanks bother."

"Carol's down there too, nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full a rockers bout all this news coverage. She wants ta make sure it's all good publicity. At least she ain't worried about the two of ya. She knows if I thought for one minute ya wasn't okay I'da been up here lookin' for ya sooner."

Then Merle laughed again and told Beth, "That sister a yours, she's a pistol that one. She come in Wednesday demandin' ta know where ya were an wantin' me ta take her to ya. Me n her we had ta reach an understandin' bout who could be more loud and more stubborn."

Then he tilted his head toward Abe and laughed harder, "She brought her little friend Rosita and Big Red here fell in love forever right there on the spot."

Now it was Abe flipping Merle off, "It's true love I tell ya. Me and her are gonna be doin' some serious romancin'."

Abe was right. It was a big crowd and there was cheering and applause when the pickup hit pavement and came to a stop. It felt to Daryl and Beth like all those reporters were talking to them at once, and there were a million questions.

The newlyweds smiled and acted happy to see everyone as they tried to spend the least amount of time possible assuring the reporters and the crowd, search and rescue and the sheriff himself that they were fine. They didn't suffer a bit. They had plenty to eat, a warm fire and each other.

The story of the young couple's romantic mountain adventure was, of course, all over the news that night.

The newlyweds weren't watching the news, they were otherwise occupied. The first thing she did was call her Daddy. They both talked to him convincing him they were just fine and they'd be over to take him to church Sunday morning.

Then they did a little something they'd been looking forward to. They took that long hot shower together, washing each other's hair and each making sure the other was sparkling clean from head to toe, lingering longer than necessary in some places.

They wanted to stay right there at home, but there were other things to be done first. They were going to Merle's for dinner and a "family meeting." Daryl didn't question why Carol would be included in a "family meeting," he was pretty sure that to his brother she'd become family.

The dinner was simple, pizza from Rhee's was always delicious. The wine and beer weren't bad either. They enjoyed it all and just laughing and talking and sharing their adventure, or at least parts of it, with his brother and his brother's woman.

It was after their dinner Daryl would learn just what had been going on with his brother.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang, I hated to leave the mountain too. I know I said we'd find out about Merle this chapter, but it seems I fibbed! Sorry. I just get too wordy. I PROMISE next chapter we lead with it. Please leave a comment / review :) Next chapter we find out about Merle, and Daryl asks Beth an important question. I hope to see you all back next Friday for more of Lady Luck. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much, AGAIN. I appreciate you :) I'm not gonna fib (this time) Merle is my go-to guy, but I had a little trouble putting his feelings into words. I hope I mostly got it right. Besides Merle's story, our couple are going to share the master bedroom and...well that could get steamy. We're also going to hear about a crime. Enjoy!

00

They sat in Merle's very plain but cozy living room. It reminded Beth a little of their own and she couldn't help wondering if someday Carol might live there with Merle permanently. Could she settle for life in a small city after being in the hustle, bustle and glamor of a 24-hour a day city like Vegas?

Now was not the time to ask. Now there were other matters to be discussed.

Merle smiled at Carol but not in a cheerful way. It was more the kind of resigned smile that conveyed an apology, something like, "I'm sorry this is how it is, thanks for being okay with it." She laid her hand on his and smiled back with a look that was both loving and accepting.

He drew in a breath and began talking in a way Daryl had never heard his brother talk. He was laid open. He was not holding back his feelings or the hurt that whatever was coming had caused him.

He cleared his throat and began, "This ain't the kinda story ya wanna be tellin' in front a your woman, but Carol n me ain't exactly kids. She's seen a lotta life, the same as me. The real good and the real bad parts of it." He shrugged when he stated, "We both know shit happens, and shit happened here."

"Me n her already talked about all this and we come to an agreement, what's done is done. She has a good understandin' a the man I been, and she knows about the man I'd like ta be." He looked at Carol when he asked, "We're solid, ain't we sweetheart?"

Beth could see that telltale look in Carol's eyes when she answered. The woman had it bad for Merle Dixon. "Just like you have an understanding of the woman I've been and the woman I'd like to be. We're solid as a rock Merle Dixon."

Before he got into the details he looked at Beth and apologized, "This story ain't pretty little one, and I talk plain. I mean ya no disrespect in that."

Daryl was stunned to hear his brother make such a statement. Merle had always talked "plain" and Daryl never heard him apologize for it. Maybe he really was making changes.

Beth had a pretty good understanding of Merle. She knew he was a man with no filters. She was also aware that no matter how hard he tried to hide it, under that tough guy persona he was a good man with a big heart. "Thank you, Merle, I won't be offended."

He directed his attention to Daryl and began to tell his brother the story, "I told ya the way Frankie come up ta me that night in the casino bar and what she said. Man, talk about puttin' it plain. Anyway, it ain't like I expected love. I knew she wasn't in it for that and I wasn't either."

"She was upfront about what she wanted me for. I never had it happen quite like that but I was going for it. The thing was though, what she said she wanted me for and what she really wanted me for wasn't the same thing."

"I was thinkin' it was one a them 'everyone's gettin' theirs' kinda deals. That's fine and I ain't tryin' ta act like I never done that kinda thing. We all know I have. But ta my way a thinkin' just cuz everyone's in it ta get their nut don't mean people shouldn't still be thoughtful with each other. It ain't s'posed ta be about usin' sex ta get sumthin' else that ya want more."

"Turns out the real reason, the only reason she was bein' nice ta me, and the only reason she was beddin' me, was not because she saw any particular kind of appeal in me. She was usin' me in a different way, try'n ta get information from me. Tryin' ta get some kinda dirt. The worst of it was, she was tryin' ta get this information ta hurt people I care about. People I love. My family."

That had Daryl scratching his head in confusion, and he felt angry at seeing his brother so obviously hurt, "Dirt? Hurt your family? Brother, what the fuck? Whaddya gettin' at?"

Merle shrugged and laughed but it was bitter and humorless. He was shaking his head and scowling, "It turns out Frankie was workin' for a guy name of Negan. The way Carol put it was, she's part of this Negan fella's harem."

Daryl and Beth both got wide-eyed at that statement. Daryl didn't ask any more questions or speak at all; and he could practically see the anger oozing from his brother's pores as he sat quietly waiting for Merle to go on. Eventually Merle did, "This Negan fella owns a casino in Vegas too, it's called the Golden Arm. It just so happens their biggest competitor is the French Rivera."

He was clenching and unclenching his fists as he went on to explain, "So Frankie's livin' and sleepin' with this Negan dude, but it ain't just her. The guy has a buncha other women too. He calls every one of em his wife. Anyway, besides always lookin' pretty and screwin' him, Frankie had another job."

He looked at Carol, Carol nodded, and Merle continued, "Somehow this Negan fella gets her the job in the marketin' department at the French Riviera. The whole idea bein' she'd be like an inside man. At first, before ya'll won, he was hopin' she might have access ta some kinda files or paperwork or whatever. Anythin' that shows the casino phonied up the whole contest, that there was never gonna be a million dollar payout. Or maybe that it was rigged. He had her lookin' for anythin' and everythin'."

"When the two of ya won that got them lookin' for sumthin' else. He was sure you was some kinda paid actors, workin' for the French Riviera. Either that or the two of ya, without the casino even knowin' about it, had somehow cheated ta win."

He looked at Carol and asked, "How'd ya explain that sweetheart?"

Carol answered, "The entire time we were running the contest it was earning the French Riviera a lot of publicity and attention, which of course translated to money. That's what had Negan and his group angry and resentful. It got a lot worse when you two won the contest. With the two of you, your good looks and just the naturally sweet and good people you are, interest skyrocketed beyond even our expectations."

"Personally, I couldn't have been more thrilled. You're the perfect winners in every way. People are attracted to youth and beauty and you both have that going for you, plus you have that something extra. A certain undeniable charisma and 'down home' quality. Any other couple may not have garnered as much media attention or excited the public the way you have."

Beth and Daryl were fidgeting in their seats. They felt uncomfortable hearing Carol talk about them that way and their cheeks were red with embarrassment. They hoped the subject would change.

It didn't. Carol continued, "After a few days you should have been old news, yet you're still being hounded. What happened today, when you drove down the hill in your pickup safe and happy, that was the lead story on every evening news program and entertainment show tonight."

"The contest and your popularity have paid off for the casino in so many ways, including all the free publicity and a huge uptick in our business. Negan and his group know we experienced a huge boom and they're envious."

"If they were using their heads they'd have seen the fact that the contest, and most importantly you two, are bringing people to Vegas. It's been a big shot in the arm for every business in the city, including theirs."

"Negan couldn't see the big picture though, he wanted to find some way to discredit the casino and the contest. I guess what he was hoping was there would be pillow talk, and Merle would admit to Frankie something he knew happened that shouldn't have. Something that would cast a cloud over the contest, or the two of you. Maybe even both."

Merle was rubbing a hand along the back of his neck as he interjected, "What kinda man does that shit? The sick fuckin' bastard sent his woman to another man's bed hopin' she'd find out you two are fakes, or that there was some other kinda sleazy shenanigans goin' on."

"We ain't sure what he was gonna do if she did find sumthin', but we got an idea and so do the folks at the French Riviera. We're thinkin' he was lookin' to try and blackmail the owners, or he'd try blowin' the whole thing wide open by callin' the gamin' commission and all the news channels."

Daryl and Beth looked at each other, him biting his lower lip while she bit at her upper lip, seeming to have the same thought. They hadn't intentionally done wrong. They certainly hadn't cheated or been put up to anything by anyone else.

Merle seemed to read their thoughts, "Don't even think what you're thinkin'. Gettin' married when you're drunk ain't a crime. I'd bet it happens that way more often than it doesn't. The two of ya got plenty a love, anyone can see that. Ya ain't cheated no one and ya ain't lied."

Beth looked in her husband's eyes and nodded, "It's true Daryl, we're in love. We just happened to get lucky and win a million dollars. We didn't cheat."

Merle nodded his agreement, "That's right little one."

Then he got a gloomy look, shook his head and told them all, "I been hurt by this and angry about what I was used for. Not the sex part, I agreed ta that." He exhaled loudly and tried to explain the hurt, "I been used for a lotta things in my life, but for someone ta use me like she done? Like he had her do? Ta try and bring trouble and hurt ta my family. The only family I got. That shit don't get forgiven or forgotten."

He took a deep breath and tried to shake the anger away, "Anyway, the French Riviera had their suspicions sumthin' was up and they did their own spyin', that's how we know all this. But we keep it quiet, alright? I know ya will."

He pursed his lips, nodded his head and told them, "So, all we're gonna do about any of this shit right now is absolutely nuthin'. Frankie's already been fired and she's back at the harem I s'pose. The mucky mucks at the French Riviera got their plan and we'll just sit back and watch em handle it."

"Me n Carol decided we're too busy tryin' ta figure out what ta do bout our own situation ta worry about that sick bastard."

Then he got a no bullshit grin and told his truth, "But if they don't take care of him, you can bet your ass I will."

He finally seemed to relax as he reached over, took Carol's hand and said, "I come out the winner in all this anyway."

That's when he turned his attention to Daryl and Beth, "The thing about the two a you is, it's Carol's job ta keep ya in front a the public. Ya know that. Ya signed on for it. You're makin' money for the casino just by bein' good lookin' and bein' in love. Ain't that a kick in the pants? But I know ya need your time alone. Carol promised me she's gonna try n see to it ya get a little more a that."

Carol smiled apologetically, "I am, and I'm sorry because I know you don't want to hear this, especially not right now, but we've got that 'at work' filming and photo shoot coming up next week. Daryl, I promise I'm not just yanking your chain so you'll do things my way, I honestly think this is going to be huge for Road Ragin'. I promise I'm going to have the crew put a lot of focus on the kind of work you do there."

Merle nodded in agreement and added, "Business is already better. At first it was just curiosity seekers comin round. Now though, we got actual new customers comin' in and buyin' parts, accessories, talkin' bikes and gettin' repairs."

Merle got that ear to ear grin when he added, "If we start makin' some real good bucks we can expand into new areas. We can start sellin' snow machines like I said. Shit, and we might even wanna get some four-wheelers in."

Daryl's head was swimming from all the news and talk and Beth was right there with him. He shook his head like he was clearing all thoughts from it and in a strained voice said, "Shit brother, my brain's on overload. I can't think no more. Lemme get through this photo shoot thing we promised Carol, then we'll talk about expandin'."

He got a wicked little smile when he added, "Then again brother, it's just like ya always told me, no one fucks with the Dixons. We'll come out better than them every time. I ain't sure how that's gonna happen this time, but this shit Merle? This ain't even a speed bump compared ta what you n me been through."

_Daryl had it right. It would happen a month later. Someone did indeed call the gaming commission, but it wasn't the Golden Arm. They were the ones in the hot seat. It would be discovered they had a couple of "fixed" wheels on the roulette tables, a couple of dealers who had a knack for slight of hand, and some loaded dice on the craps tables._

_The sheriff's office conducted their own investigation of the Golden Arm and cited additional violations, including operation of a house of prostitution._

_The casino would be shut down, the owner's arrested, and months later a new group of investors would purchase the Golden Arm, changing the name to The Mont Blanc._

00

They arrived home exhausted from a very long day and ready for bed. She used the bathroom first and when she walked out he was there waiting. He smiled, slid an arm around her waist and kissed her on the forehead, then nuzzled her ear and whispered, "Be right back Baby."

She leaned against the wall, anxiously watching the bathroom door. Waiting for him.

Just the anticipation of her husband walking through that door and holding her close had her body yearning. When it finally opened he didn't disappoint. He had a smile on his face and his eyes were trained on hers as he took two long strides and took her in his arms.

His body was pressed so tightly to hers it was as if their hips were joined. He smiled, brushed an imaginary wisp of hair from her face, then kissed her deeply while his hand slowly slid down the back of her pajamas. He was squeezing the soft skin of her bottom while somehow managing to draw her body even closer to his, and she responded by grasping onto him and suggestively moving her body against his.

He drew his lips away just far enough to ask, "Ya ain't wearin' panties tonight?"

"No I was trying to keep things easy for you."

He started laughing as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, "Thanks Baby, but ya know, I don't mind at all. I kinda like the part about me undressin' ya."

She thought she'd get him again when she responded, "Oh. Well I could go put a pair on."

His hand quickly slipped between her legs, his fingers tickling and teasing as he huskily answered, "Never mind, I'm busy right now."

Their longing for each other quickly quieted the teasing and laughter as his fingers explored a little more, and their kissing became more intense. They were excited and eager to finally do what they both wanted so much to do, in their own bed. He drew away from her again, and then smiling he took her by surprise.

He lifted her in his arms and carried her to that bed, gently laying her down. He bent and kissed her forehead, then sucked at the sensitive skin of her throat and whispered, "Welcome home Mrs. Dixon."

He hurried to slip out of the sleep pants and crawled in bed next to her, his arms wrapping around her. As he drew her to him she wiggled her body closer. He rubbed a hand over her back, kissed her tenderly and holding her close he again burrowed his face in her neck. He was kissing and sucking at the soft tender skin, then he whispered in her ear, "Ya got any idea how long I wanted ya in this bed with me? I'm so fuckin' happy ta finally have ya here."

"I've wanted to be here. I love you Daryl."

"Oh yeah? What if I say I love ya more?"

"I say you're wrong but let's wait and fight about it in the morning. There's other things I'd rather do tonight."

"Sounds good ta me Baby."

His hand gently clutched the back of her neck as he kissed her, then told her again, "I love ya Baby."

"I love you Honey."

His tongue slipped in her mouth and his hand slid inside her thin t-shirt, while her fingers softly combed through his hair. He bent and kissed her tummy then lifted the shirt off her. She didn't play coy. With her hands still in his hair she gently guided him in the direction of her breast, murmuring, "Daryl Dixon, I don't know what you've turned me into, I just know I want you all the time."

Her words increased his desire, not just for his own pleasure but for hers. He slipped her sleep pants down, slipped his body between those pale slim legs, and his mouth was on her. She squeaked, "Oh!" But quickly relaxed and enjoyed the feel of her husband's lips and tongue.

His arms lay lightly across her thighs while his fingertips softly teased her skin. She was turned on, hypersensitive to his touch and she tried to squirm closer to him, tugging at his hair and moaning his name.

His hand began to move up her body softly tickling her skin, but not the kind of tickling that caused her to laugh. It was the kind that left her wanting to feel more of his touch on her now warm and flushed body. Her hips began to rise and he gently pushed on her mound, holding her in place while he continued licking and sucking on her. All of it together was causing a strangely wonderful sensation that had her begging him for something more.

His tongue was on her clit and he flicked it across the sensitive little bump while he continued pressing on her mound, and then he slipped a finger inside her. Her body writhed in desperate need for more of him. She was moaning and making a sound like a soft cry, pleading for something that she hadn't put words to. She was panting and tugging at his hair when her body began to shudder and her release came. She screamed the words, "Oh my gawd Daryl, oh my gawd you make me feel so good."

He smiled as he licked the swollen lips and still sensitive clit, then began licking and kissing his way up her body. He paused when he got to her breasts and teased, "I didn't spend nearly enough time here earlier."

She was finally catching her breath and she giggled, "Well I guess you need to make up for that." He nibbled gently at her small breast and she started to feel it again. What was it about her husband's touches, his lips, his tongue and his fingers that could get her so eager for more, and so quickly?

She couldn't dwell on the question for long, she was too preoccupied with the hardness that pushed against her hip, his mouth on her breast and the finger that had once again slipped inside her. She was clutching at his back, then found herself rubbing the firm muscles of his arms and his ass while in a throaty whisper she cried over and over, "Daryl, oh Daryl."

He didn't hold back either, he was answering her call, "Baby there ain't nuthin' about ya that don't get ta me. I'll never get enough a touchin' and tastin' you." He kissed her hard and quickly got to his knees. He reached for the packet in the drawer and moved his body between her legs.

She lifted her legs and with her knees up, raised her hips a little, welcoming him. She was anxious and ready for her husband as she watched him slip the condom on. He teased her with the tip of his cock, gave her a mischievous smile and asked, "Ya want me Baby?'

"You know I do, now quit teasing me."

His arm slid under her back and he lifted her upper body close to his, intensifying the feeling as he entered her. She clutched his waist and pulled herself closer still, until they both fell back on the bed and he began to move inside her. Slow and steady at first and for a moment they were simply lost in the feeling, then he asked, "Wanna do that thing again? The one where you get on top, except this time ya don't freeze your ass off?"

She couldn't help giggling, "You're so romantic Daryl, and yes, let's." And in one smooth roll he was beneath her.

She sat up moving her body along him while he played with her nipples and she leaned in a little, lightly rubbing her fingers along his chest and torso. Soon his hands were grasping her butt and her legs stretched out straight as she propped herself on her palms, keeping her body just inches above his.

His strokes became faster and he moved his hips in rhythm with hers, matching her stroke for stroke. She felt the friction of his cock rubbing her clit and she knew she couldn't last, she couldn't even get her words out, "Daryl…I…Daryl…I…" and her body seemed to shiver violently as once again she called his name, "Daryl, Daryl…"

He watched her face while she came and that was it for him, he grabbed for her, pulling her to him as his own body quaked and he pumped into her hard and fast, until they both fell back into the soft comfort of the bed they now shared.

00

They weren't taking a day off, they wanted Jim to have the day off he'd earned. So despite being tired, and despite the million things they had to do at home, they were up early Saturday morning.

She was in the bedroom getting dressed for work and he was in the kitchen frying bacon. He'd turned the radio on, tuned it to the local country station and listened absentmindedly until the news came on. He had no desire to hear any more stories about him and his wife, and he'd just reached his hand over to change to another station when two things happened.

He heard Beth come walking through the doorway and as he turned to say good morning, the newscaster said, "Three Smithton citizens were arrested for grand theft in a very exclusive area of Atlanta." He and his wife looked at each other curiously, Daryl shrugged and pulled his hand away from the knob as they continued listening.

They both felt their chins try to hit the floor when the newsman went on, "Two women, Andrea Harrison and her sister Amy Martinez were arrested while leaving Clausen's Fine Jewelry, where they had allegedly stolen a $5000 diamond tennis bracelet, along with the matching necklace valued at nearly $15,000."

Daryl slid the pan off the fire and put an arm across his wife's shoulders as they listened in disbelief.

"Miz Martinez's husband, Caesar Martinez, was arrested a block and a half away from the scene, where he allegedly awaited his wife and sister in law in the getaway vehicle. Subsequently the police conducted a raid on the Martinez home and uncovered a large cache of stolen property. Police are actively pursuing a fourth suspect they believe may have knowledge of this and other crimes."

"We'll have more for you on this breaking story as further details become available."

Daryl's look was a mix of astonishment and confusion when he spoke, "Holy fuck I had no idea Caesar was capable a shit like that. I feel like I should have. We was good friends in high school and never did he talk about stealin' or doin' nuthin' any more illegal than smokin' cigarettes and drinkin' beer. Man, I musta missed all the signs."

She rubbed a hand along his back when she reasoned, "No, I don't think it's on you Daryl. People change you know. Some change for the better because that's what they want. Just like Merle and Carol were talking about last night. Other people find the darker side of themselves. All of us are whatever kind of people we make up our minds we want to be."

He looked at her, smiled and kissed her curls, then asked, "Yeah? How'd ya get so smart?"

She laid her head on his chest, circled her arms tightly around him and answered, "You're plenty smart Daryl Dixon. You're the smartest and most capable man I know."

"Pfft, ya must know a lotta dummies."

"Stop that."

He changed the subject stating, "I s'pose the cops will be comin' 'round eventually askin' a lotta questions."

"I hadn't thought about that but you're right. I guess I should get all the information we have together for them."

"Yeah, okay, but don't offer it. Wait'll they come askin'."

They walked out of the little house and waved and smiled at the small crowd on the sidewalk. Daryl helped her with her helmet before putting on his own. They got on the bike and he stopped at the end of the driveway, letting the folks take pictures before they waved one last time and sped off.

They arrived at Road Ragin' to be greeted by a similar group and again they smiled, waved and posed for a few of photos. Daryl even answered a couple of questions, "Yeah, yeah we're just fine, thanks for askin'. We had everythin' we needed. We managed ta make the best of it and have plenty of fun while we was there. Had a snowball fight, built a snowman and I even made snow angels."

He was smiling and the crowd loved hearing his stories. A fellow who recorded it all on his phone was able to sell the video to Entertainment Tonight for $400. They had it as both their promo and lead story that very night.

Daryl tipped his head and told the folks, "Okay, thanks y'all. We gotta get ta work now." And they finally broke away.

They'd just walked through the shop door when Merle was askin', "Well, did ya hear? I think we got off easy with them two."

"Shit yeah we heard. I'm glad we got rid of em when we did, but it shoulda been sooner." And he repeated what he'd said to Beth earlier, "That's on me."

Merle pursed his lips and shook his head, "Nah I told ya ta knock that shit off. They was world class actors so get over it brother. Anyway, that ain't the whole story. Dwight's wife works over there at the courthouse, he tells me she heard that the one fencin' the goods for them, the fourth suspect they're lookin' for, is none other than Amy's friend."

Daryl felt like his heart had turned to ice, "No shit. It's Candace?"

"Yep, the one that give us so much grief." Merle caught himself then. "Sorry little one, maybe ya don't wanna hear all this stuff."

"No Merle, it's fine, really. It was a long time ago."

Merle chuckled as he slapped his brother on the back, "That's right and shit, I do love me some karma." He ran his tongue across his lips and added, "Well I do so long as it ain't comin' back at me."

_Karma was indeed at play. Since the crime took place in Atlanta, and in fact all of the recovered goods were from jewelry stores and private residences in Atlanta, Sheriff Grimes was not part of the active investigation._

_Of course he remembered the situation when Caesar and Amy were fired. And he recalled everything that went on with Candace Brown and her obsession with Daryl Dixon. But none of that had any bearing on the case being investigated._

_Merle, Daryl and Beth were grateful they didn't have to answer any questions about possible thievery at Road Ragin'. Rick was a friend and they couldn't have, they wouldn't have lied to him, but there was no way they wanted to divulge the agreement they'd made to "pay off" of the Martinez's and Candace Brown._

_As it would turn out they didn't need to, and all four criminals would receive the punishment they deserved. They all served time at the Georgia State Penitentiary_

They got home from work that night exhausted from another day, but again, it wasn't so much the work that tired them. It was everything else happening around them. As he got the grill ready to cook their burgers he asked her, "Ya ever had so much damn drama in your life Baby?"

"No, thank God. It seems to be one thing after another. I wish we were still up on that mountain." Then she hugged him and said, "It'll all be over soon, I know it will."

"It will, and…well, I's gonna ask ya how ya feel about sumthin'."

She looked in his eyes, "Sure, what is it?"

"Ya know we still got money, and business is pickin up and we're gonna make money offa this photo thing and film. I's wonderin', do ya wanna see if we can find a little piece a ground somewhere kinda remote? A place where just you n me can go and be alone?"

She squealed as she squeezed him tighter, "Yes, yes and yes! The sooner the better."

He laughed and then he kissed her and teased, "Ain't you the girl who hates the wilderness and campin'?"

"Have you forgotten what we talked about Honey? People can change, I know I did. I married Daryl Dixon and now I can't get enough of camping and the wilderness," She smiled, then licked her lips provocatively and added, "And a few other things I've discovered."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We had a lot of karma. Like Merle, I love karma when it's not coming back at me :) We had some sweet loving too. I hope you enjoyed it and that you'll leave a comment / review. Next week we're going to have that photo shoot and filming, AND Maggie's wedding. I hope to see you all back Friday for more of Lady Luck. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much you guys! We had a whole lotta karma going on last chapter, phew! In the end, Daryl and Beth made a decision to look for their own little piece of ground somewhere "away from it all." This chapter we have our photo shoot and filming, Maggie's wedding, and OH, Daryl asks Beth a very big question. I hope you enjoy!

00

"Ya know Baby, we ain't gonna be able ta buy nuthin' there where we was campin', don't ya? That's all designated wilderness, no one can buy that land. But we can find sumthin' damn near as nice and not much further away. I'ma be on the lookout."

She rested her arms on his shoulders, kissed him and said, "As long as we're there together it's going to be perfect."

He smiled when he responded, "Ya know I use ta prefer ta get out in the woods all by myself. That was the best part, gettin' away from the world and everyone in it. Now I can't imagine wantin' ta do it that way. It just wouldn't be as good without ya there with me."

00

It was Wednesday of the following week when the big workplace filming and photo shoot were to take place, and the stylist showed up at their home bright and early that morning. She was to do Beth's hair and makeup, and make sure the couple were dressed in the clothes she'd chosen for them.

Right off the bat there was a little friction. She had a brusque and snooty nature that put off the newlyweds from the start. They hadn't experienced those negative feelings with any of the other people they'd worked with. But since it was only going to be this one time, they were doing their best to ignore the condescending tone of her voice and the way her nose seemed to be permanently in the air.

It was when she looked around their house with what appeared to be disdain and sniffed, "This place is pretty blah for a couple of millionaires, isn't it?" That she went from being annoying to be rude.

Daryl was going to settle for simply giving the woman the death glare, but Beth was ready for a fight, "You can't come in our home and talk like…" That's as far as Beth got.

In the interest of keeping the peace and just getting through the day, Carol stepped in to try and get the situation under control. With a sweet smile on her face, and a lot of snark in her words, she quickly put the brakes on the stylist , "Now Paula, I'm sure what you meant to say is how beautiful this house is, and how you wish you owned something even half this nice, especially if that something was paid for. Now how about you do your job, wouldn't that be nice?"

The woman knew where her next paycheck was coming from and quickly agreed, "Yes, I meant that in the nicest way. Everything about it is just so sweet."

They all shook it off and started again.

Daryl was a little preoccupied anyway, he'd been dreading what this "motorcycle rider" deal Carol had dreamed up would involve. He was relieved to see the clothes chosen for him were not much different than his usual.

In fact, some of them were his usual. The jeans were a little tighter, the black button up shirt a whole lot tighter, and Paula wanted the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Even though he felt like the sleeves were already so tight the fabric might tear, he didn't argue. It didn't seem like any kind of big deal. Especially since he got to wear his own vest, the one with the angel's wings that Beth loved so much. He also wore his own heavy motorcycle boots and his black leather belt with big bronze buckle.

Beth didn't fare quite as well with her outfit. The hip hugger jeans weren't so bad, except they fit so tight she felt like if she took a deep breath the button would fly off. The zipper might even explode. It was the super tight and tiny t-shirt they gave her to wear, that's what had her freaking out.

She was in an uncomfortable pushup bra the stylist had insisted on, and the tops of her boobs were pushing up and out of the deep v neckline of the tight t-shirt. The hem of the shirt barely reached the bottom of the bra. She was a little shook and a lot embarrassed with so much skin exposed, including three inches of skin below her bellybutton.

The look had her feeling very uneasy and when she turned to her husband with those big blue pleading eyes, he got the message loud and clear.

He had that certain sound to his voice, the one Beth thought of as his, "ain't no arguin' with me" tone. She had to bite her lip to keep from smiling when she heard it. Her husband expressed his concerns to the stylist. "My wife don't like ta be showin' a lotta skin. That get-up don't seem like quite enough clothes for her taste. I think it's best ya let her choose sumthin' different."

That put a little smile on Beth's face. The way Daryl always took up for her was one of the many things she loved about him.

That feeling soon disappeared when, in spite of "the voice" he'd used, Paula tried to push back, "Are you sure it's your wife who objects and not you? What's the real problem, are you the jealous type?"

That was the second time Paula had seriously rubbed Beth the wrong way. Before Daryl could answer his wife was all over the woman, "My husband knows exactly what I do and do not like. He knows I don't feel comfortable in this shirt and he knows I won't wear it. If my Daddy should happen to see me in this he'd be hurt." Then she scrunched up her nose and said, "Besides, it's not even cute."

"Anyway, I have my own bra and my own clothes. Clothes that are a lot sexier than this rag without being nearly so revealing. Items we sell at our shop, and the shop is supposed to be the focus here."

Daryl couldn't seem to stop smiling, he was proud of the way his wife got all feisty and stood up to the woman, especially because he knew it didn't come easy for her. He laid a hand on her shoulder and agreed, "That's right Baby, ya wear what ya wanna wear. Anyone don't like it, well then I guess we just call this whole fuckin' thing off."

Carol was smiling and acting like they were all best friends as she tried once again to calm a potentially volatile situation. "You're absolutely right Beth. I understand your reluctance to wear that outfit, I wouldn't wear it either. I'm sure Paula understands your feelings too. You go ahead and change into something you like."

Then Carol turned to Paula and the look she gave her…well…if looks could kill. Paula got the message loud and clear, this would no-doubt be the last time she ever worked for Carol Peletier.

Beth wound up wearing the black leather pants Daryl bought her on her first day at the shop, and she threaded a silver chain through the belt loops. She wore a hot looking pair of black boots with a three-inch stacked heel and silver tipped toes, and she smiled when she put on the black tank top and a tiny black leather vest. She thought she'd pulled off a pretty sexy look without showing much skin. She accessorized her look with a wide silver wrist cuff, dangling silver earrings, and a silver crucifix around her neck.

She walked out of their bedroom, Daryl took one look at his wife, let out a low whistle and didn't think twice about giving her a warm wet kiss. It was a miracle he could stop with the kiss, because in the moment he was thinking how fun it would be to take the clothes right back off her.

Their exit was all pre planned, and it was mostly their normal routine anyway. But just the part where they walked out of the house together was normal. Everything after that would be much different.

They spoke with the crowd for a moment. They smiled and signed a few of autographs, and they posed for a couple of pictures with the folks. The folks that reporters had begun to refer to as their "fans." What made this morning different was the professional film crew, they were making sure they caught it all on video.

They were still being filmed as Daryl helped her with her moto jacket, but he didn't even think about the cameras or the crowd when he smiled and kissed her, then helped her with her helmet. He looked only at her as he put on his own coat and helmet, then mounted the bike.

Beth placed her hands on his shoulders and swung her leg around as she got on behind him, then wrapped her arms around his waist. She heard one of the onlookers holler out, "Go Beth!" and she smiled and waved at the group as Daryl hit the throttle and they were on their way.

As they cruised from their home to the shop a member of the film crew rode in a vehicle in front of them. His camera going the entire time. Another vehicle and cameraman rode behind them. Everything that had happened since they walked out their door was caught on video.

Their arrival at the shop had been perfectly orchestrated. They'd been coached over and over the day before about what they should do, how they should do it and when they should do it. It all made Beth anxious, until her husband whispered in her ear, "We're like a buncha fuckin' synchronized swimmers." He knew how to make her laugh, and the laughter made her anxiety level drop.

They pulled into the shop driveway at the exact same time as Merle, the bikes simultaneously coming to a stop side by side at the shop entrance. Merle dismounted and held a hand out to Beth, assisting her as she got off the bike. Daryl got off and the brothers nodded at each other and bumped fists, as if it was their usual morning greeting.

Merle wasn't wearing his typical work attire of Dickie's pants and Red Wing work boots. Daryl figured it was probably Carol's doing that instead of the loose fitting work pants, his brother was dressed in snug fitting Levis and his usual black t-shirt, this t-shirt just happened to be quite a bit tighter than usual, especially around the biceps. Of course it said Road Ragin' over the breast pocket.

Despite a definite chill in the air, Merle wasn't wearing his black leather jacket. Just his simple black leather vest, black leather fingerless gloves, and leather cuffs on both wrists. The rough appearance was finished off with menacing looking heavy black motorcycle boots, complete with chains and rivets.

The three walked in the shop and there was poor Jim, trying hard to be invisible as he went about his work. Abe was working too, the difference being Abe wasn't trying to be invisible at all. He had a big shit-eating grin on his face.

Off camera, for the time being, was the interviewer.

Filming stopped while the interviewer, who was also the one putting the whole shoot together, introduced himself. He smiled as he held out a hand to shake, nodding a, "Hey guys," And he smiled at her and said, "And you must be Beth. I'm Paul Rovia." Then he spoke a little about what was going to happen. "We'll edit everything that's just been filmed and some voiceover will be added later. I know you're familiar with how that works."

"I'm not going to be talking to you like a reporter or an entertainment interviewer. I want to talk _with_ you the way guys who loves bikes and riding talk to each other." He smiled and added, "Except, of course, we'll try to avoid using the non-family friendly words." His easy manner immediately had Daryl and Merle feeling far more at ease about the whole deal.

Paul could tell Beth was anxious and he tried to ease her obvious nervousness. "I know a big part of sales is the aftermarket. The helmets, the jackets, the seats, all the cool accessories, and I know that's your department. I'll be asking pretty routine questions, but you feel free to throw in with anything you like. And remember, there aren't any mistakes or wrong answers. That's why we have editing. We'll just keep doing it until we get it right. Okay?"

She let out an audible sigh of relief, "Yes, thank you. I feel better."

Daryl rubbed a hand along her arm, and smiled, "You're gonna do great Baby. It's me n Merle whose gonna need all the editin'."

Paul smiled at the pair, then got a little more serious as he told them the plan. "Carol wants me to focus on exactly what you do here and that's what I want to talk about too. The custom work Daryl. I want to ask a lot of questions about how you bring a concept to reality. And Merle, I'm anxious to ask you some questions about how you bring a bike back from the dead."

"Most of all I want us to have a good time with this, so with that in mind, we'll keep it upbeat and entertaining while still giving folks a good picture of what Road Ragin' is all about. How does that sound?"

As the brothers talked with the guy they realized he knew a lot about bikes and biker culture, he was a rider himself. That helped ease a lot of the concerns Daryl and Merle had about this filming adventure.

Daryl left Beth to work in her office for the time being, which was exactly where she preferred to be. Then the filming began with Daryl and Merle giving a brief tour of the shop. It was during the tour they finally got to the stuff they were all most excited to talk about. How his brother could bring a badly damaged bike back to life, and the custom work Daryl did.

No sooner had they discussed Merle's skills than a bike rolled up. Just as planned of course, but to the camera's eye it would seem to have happened coincidentally. The Bike was a beautiful machine in perfect condition. Then Merle showed the photos of it "before" the repair.

The customer / rider was none other than Dwight and he said to the reporter, "Me and this bike slid more than a 150-feet on asphalt covered in gravel. Three things saved my life that day. The Good Lord, a good helmet, and a new set of leathers," he smiled and added, "it took ol Merle here to save the bike."

Next Paul talked to Daryl about his custom work, and Daryl did something he rarely did when speaking with outsiders. He relaxed. He was in his element discussing bikes and building them from the ground up.

He went through the process from design to completion and showed photos of some he'd done. As if on cue a bike roared into the lot, and of course it was a custom bike built by Daryl. The fellow riding it was a big deal doc who worked at the CDC in Atlanta, Dr. Ed Jenner.

The doctor couldn't rave enough about the quality of the bike and it's ride, "I've owned Harleys, Indians and Triumphs, this is hands down the best bike I've ever ridden. " He smiled and got truthful, "It's good for the ego too. I like knowing I'm the only guy with a bike that looks and rides like this one. I hope to have Daryl build me another in the very near future."

Paul spoke to Jim and Abraham about their roles at Road Ragin', and it was shy Jim who managed to steer the conversation to the new diagnostic computer and all the types of work Road Ragin' could now tackle. Then it was Beth's turn.

She was nervous all over again and Daryl was a little concerned for his wife. He stood just off camera smiling and nodding encouragingly at her while she spoke to Paul, hoping it would give her confidence.

After a couple of false starts she finally relaxed and talked about what she knew, and she surprised herself. She hadn't realized how much she learned in her short time at Road Ragin'. She discussed the safety accessories like helmets and what to look for when purchasing one, and she thought she managed to sound knowledgeable. The entire time though, she kept sneaking glances at her husband. Knowing he was right there helped put her at ease. By the time the talk switched to clothes and boots she was almost completely relaxed.

It took four hours to film from start to finish. It turned out to be the best investment of time the Dixon family ever could have made.

There were short "teaser" clips on entertainment shows and the internet, and the original piece was edited to a 20-minute film. That 20 minute film was re edited down to a 10 minute piece that was sold to, and shown on, a wildly popular cable reality program called, "Careers You Can Love." After that airing, the film in its entirety was available on YouTube. Over the course of a year it would have over 500,000 views.

The day after it was shown on "Careers You Can Love" the phones at Road Ragin' began to ring. It wasn't long before Daryl found himself booked solid for the next two years with custom bike orders, and the shop got busier by the day. New bike sales picked up dramatically and there were women coming in just to shop for clothes. They had more repair work than they'd ever had, and there was talk of hiring another mechanic.

00

She was 100% positive, there was no man on earth, or anywhere else, as handsome as her husband. And he looked even yummier than usual all dressed up for Maggie's wedding.

She'd seen him in so many fine clothes the casino dressed him in for photo shoots and such, but this was different. This was something he'd picked out on his own, what he felt comfortable in. She decided right there on the spot. He had excellent taste.

The pants were black and she liked the fit, she always liked the look of his butt in a well-fitting pair of pants. He wore a new pair of black riding boots. A pair he'd had his eye on for a while. Maggie's wedding was the perfect excuse for him to treat himself. He wore a traditional white dress shirt, and the crisp whiteness provided a stunning contrast against the black pants and black leather sport coat. She hadn't even been aware there was such a thing as a leather sport coat. She was glad to see there was because the way her husband wore it made it look especially good.

She knew he hated to wear a tie so the fact that he'd purchased one without being asked to, and was wearing it without a complaint, told her even more about the kind of good man she'd married.

He smiled when he saw her. She was always a beauty to him whether she was wearing a tight red dress in Vegas, or nothing at all in a camper in the wilderness. He'd seen her every way a man can see a woman, yet it always seemed to take his breath away when she walked in the room.

The dress was simple, knee length with a modest neckline and elbow length sleeves. It had what he could only think to call a flowy kind of look. It seemed soft, both the fabric and the colors, pastel blue, green, pink and yellow. When she walked it moved with her as if there were just a hint of a breeze. Her hair was up and in some kind of braid with flowers here and there. He thought she looked like an angel, and he couldn't have been more proud and grateful to know she was his angel.

He'd only been to two weddings and he was kind of looking forward to this one and getting to know Beth's family a little better. He was also a little surprised, and a lot grateful, when the guest list had grown to include Merle and Carol. Beth explained to him, "You and I are married and that makes us all family."

Now that Andrea had showed her true colors, Rosita had become Maggie's closest friend and confidant, so even Abe would be there. He was Rosita's "plus one."

When they had their first real talk about her sister's wedding, Daryl assumed it would be held at the farm. Then his wife explained it to him the reason there would be no wedding at the farm. Her Daddy simply would not allow alcohol anywhere near the place, and Maggie was determined to make it a party. Daryl saw both sides. Her Daddy had his way and it was his right to feel like he did, and Maggie had a right to party on her wedding day.

The wedding ceremony itself was held at the country church the Greene family attended. At least he knew the place and he'd met a lot of the people. He'd spent so much of his life feeling like the outsider, he found he appreciated feeling like he was part of the group.

His favorite part of the whole deal was watching Beth come walking down the aisle in her pretty dress with her hair all done up, carrying a bouquet of flowers. It occurred to him he should start buying her flowers. Some guys did that shit and he thought maybe he'd become one of those guys.

Yet even with all the good feels, or maybe because of them, he was a little sad when he thought about his and Beth's wedding. He wished it could have been more like this. He wished he could remember how pretty she looked that night, and how happy he must have been when she'd agreed to marry him.

He did his best to try and shake those thoughts from his mind and pay attention to her sister's wedding.

Beth was happy and everything was so special. She loved her dress and hoped she'd have a chance to wear it again sometime. She felt a little like a nervous bride herself as she stepped inside the church doors and began the slow-paced walk down the aisle.

She took a quick sideways glance to where she knew her husband was sitting, and when she saw the look in his eyes she felt the twinge in her heart. She wished it could have been that way when they got married. She wished she could remember if he looked at her that night the way he was looking at her now. She wished she could remember her excitement. She wished she could remember if she had any idea how blessed she was to be marrying him.

She kind of wished they'd waited. She wished they would have been sober.

She did her best to purge those thoughts from her mind. She was being selfish. This was Maggie's day.

From the ceremony they all headed over to Rhee's Pizza. Beth was sitting close to him in the pickup, his hand resting on her thigh and her hand atop his. "Ya look beautiful today Baby. Well ya look beautiful every day, but ya know, kinda extra beautiful today."

"I know what you're trying to say, you look very handsome. You always do. But you're especially handsome today."

"Yeah, whatever, but thanks. I'm nervous bout this party. Sometimes Merle don't know when ta put a lid on it, ya know?"

"You worry too much. Merle's going to be just fine, and if he's not, I have a feeling Carol's going to reign him in."

Daryl laughed, "Yeah, now that ya mention it, that's sumthin' I might like ta see."

The restaurant didn't look at all like it usually did. It had been completely transformed with wedding decorations, white tablecloths and even chair covers. There were floral centerpiecs and streamers, bells and balloons. The long buffet table didn't just have pizzas, there were all kinds of delicious Italian foods, lasagna and ravioli, salads and garlic bread.

There was also an homage to Glenn's heritage.

A table had been placed between the bride and groom. The table held foods such as rice cakes, chestnuts and jujubes. There were two live roosters, one wearing a blue cloth and one wearing a red cloth. At the center of the table was a vase containing a pine branch and a bamboo branch. There was also a red candle and a blue candle.

Before the bride and groom took their seats, Maggie and Glenn faced each other, bowed and shared a single cup of rice wine.

After the little ceremony Glenn explained to the guests what the tradition meant. That the color blue represents the groom and red the bride. The chestnuts and jujubes mean longevity and fertility, and the pine and the bamboo are symbolic of fidelity.

As soon as the word fertility was spoken Abe nudged Daryl and said, "Ol Glenn's gonna be pouring the Bisquik _and_ whippin' up the pancakes." Daryl had no glue what the hell the big redhead was talking about, and zero desire to ask.

There was a D.J. and folks were dancing, Beth's Daddy even took Maggie for a spin around the dance floor. Daryl didn't want to spoil the party for his wife, so he sucked it up and they moved around the floor to a few slow songs.

Things were going great. Daryl was happy to see his brother having fun, without embarrassing him, and the same was true for Abe. At least for the time being.

Then the D.J. announced the bride was about to toss the bouquet. Daryl and Beth just watched as the single ladies hurried to gather at the center of the dance floor. Maggie smiled, turned her back to them and tossed the bouquet over her shoulder.

When Carol caught it Daryl and Beth looked at each other wide-eyed and waiting to see what would happen next. Beth could have knocked her husband over with her pinkie finger as Daryl stood watching his brother walk over to Carol, take her in his arms and kiss her like they were the ones who'd just gotten married. As they drew apart he smiled his biggest broadest smile and said, "I guess that means we're next."

Daryl whispered to Beth, "Holy fuck. I'da never believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes. Maybe this thing with Carol really is gonna stick."

There was a lot of whistling, cheers and carrying on as Glenn slowly slipped the garter off Maggie's leg. The noise continued and the D.J. called the men to the center of the dance floor. He played a drum roll as the smiling groom took the garter like he was shooting a rubber band, and shot it toward the group of men.

Abe wasn't making any effort at all to catch it, in fact, he was standing with his arms folded tightly across his chest, thinking he was safe. He should have been, but the damn thing came in for a landing right on top of his red head.

The guests all began laughing as he quickly pulled it off and threw it back toward Glenn. Except for one guest, she wasn't laughing at all.

Rosita flipped him off and then reared a foot back to kick him in the ankle. Before the kick hit the target he quickly grabbed her around the waist and picked her right up off her feet. He held her while she tried to wriggle free and she hollered, "Put me down you fucking asshole before I knock that smile off your face for good."

Abe didn't miss beat, he looked over to Glenn and yelled, "Ya best toss that damn garter back over here ta me. I think I just fell in love."

* * *

They walked in the door exhausted but still holding hands, and still laughing. She took her turn in the bathroom and when she walked out he kissed her and promised, "Be right back."

She waited for him and when he came out they locked eyes, both of them smiling as he walked toward her and held her in his arms. He moved his hands to the sides of her face, stared hard and then kissed her, his fingers sliding through her hair as he did.

He drew away, his forefinger tracing along her jawline and she knew by the way he was chewing his lip and furrowing his brow he had something to say. She didn't question, she waited.

Finally, he swallowed hard and he ask, "Will ya marry me Beth? I mean a real weddin' where we both show up sober, we know what we're doin' and what we're sayin' and what we're promisin'. Ya want to?" Then he shook his head and said, "Shit, I forgot this part," as he dropped down on one knee.

The tears were in her eyes and she could swear she felt her heart swell up as she reached down and ran her fingers through his hair, "Yes. I would be so happy to marry you Daryl Dixon."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We lived through the filming, and Maggie's wedding sounded fun and tasty, and Daryl asked the unexpected *sigh* Please leave a comment / review. Next chapter we'll be on the property hunt and MAYBE we'll have a wedding. I hope to see you Friday for our final chapter of Lady Luck. Until then remember, I love ya large. xo gneebee


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you all so much. I've had such a fun journey with this couple, and I have especially LOVED reading your comments. Thank you to my sweet friend Scifigirl22 for the original idea of the newlywed millionaires, who didn't even know each other.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this final chapter!

00

They'd had a big day and they should have been ready for sleep, but now they were too full of excitement and a heavy dose of adrenaline to rest.

They sealed the deal as they rolled around their small bed, and after, as they lay side by side they talked about the love they felt and the life they wanted. A life shared together, forever. He had an idea, "Since we ain't sleepin' anyway how bout we open a bottle a wine and figure out how we wanna do this."

They sat close together on their coach, him with his arm around her shoulders and her with a notebook in her lap and a pen in her hand.

They sipped the red wine and they talked about the way things had been for them so far. The way they'd met and the unplanned drunken wedding, which neither had much recollection of, and they talked about the unbelievable luck they'd experienced.

Not just winning a million dollars and getting rid of their own and their family's debt. There was so much more to it than that. The business had gotten the attention and the publicity to grow. Granted, the attention paid to them personally could get a little annoying, and sometimes they felt like they had no privacy at all. But there was no denying the money had provided them so many wonderful opportunities to help their family and themselves.

They smiled when they talked about the real luck they'd had. They met each other. They'd gotten married and they fell in love. Maybe they didn't do those things in the traditional order, but that didn't mean their love wasn't real or true.

Now they had the strong desire, a need really, to acknowledge that love in a sober and celebratory way, with their families present.

They talked about doing something like Maggie had done. Getting married in the little church and having a nice reception at a restaurant. They talked about getting married at the farm and having the party there. Daryl joked, "Hell they invented hipflasks for a reason. Guys can just sneak their own booze in, that'll save us some money."

They talked about getting married at home right in their own backyard. None of those things seemed quite right, not quite what they wanted.

It was like the idea hit them simultaneously. They smiled and agreed, it would be perfect. They would be surrounded by close family and friends, celebrating their love with all the people who they loved and who loved them.

They made another decision. They weren't going to tell anyone of their plans. No one would know anything, except one person. A person whose help, on agreement of strict silence, they would enlist in order to successfully pull the whole thing off.

They laughed as they finished the wine, secure in the knowledge their love was strong and would last forever and their wedding would be the perfect wedding for them. Maybe not for anyone else, but for them it would be perfect.

They were happy and exhausted and her husband took her hand, gave it an affectionate squeeze and led her back to the bed where the newlyweds had shared so much love.

00

Carol made a promise to Merle and to Daryl and Beth, and she was true to her word. There were no more "extra" stories filmed, only the ones they'd agreed to when they signed the contract. The once monthly "How are they doing now" spots that were held right in their only living room.

Still, because of their "celebrity status" they did get the opportunity to do a couple of things they never would have gotten to do otherwise. Daryl was asked to throw out the first pitch at the Braves season opener that year, and Beth sang the national anthem. Other than that, they kept their personal lives as personal as possible.

Interest began to wane after the first couple of months. There were still days when a few people waited for them outside their home or at the shop, but there were many days no one came. For them that was good news. For the most part they were living their lives like they wanted to, like other people got to. Out of the spotlight.

* * *

They'd looked at a lot of property. Most of it was very nice, but none of the properties had been exactly what they had in mind. Until one was. It was in the mountains, up north and west of Smithton. Not far from a fly spec sized town called Payson.

It was just a two-hour drive from home, easily doable after work on a Saturday. Heck, if they left early enough on Tuesday mornings they could just go from their land straight to work.

It was ten acres of forested land with a nice flat spot for camping and there was a deep cold mountain creek that ran through it. As they stood by it he teased her, "I'ma be expectin' my wife ta catch me some tasty dinners outta a nice creek like that."

Beth just smiled and teased back, "I'm sure she will, in fact you're going to be pretty embarrassed by the way your wife can out fish you." Then she wasn't teasing at all when she added, "You'll be cleaning the catch of course. That's your job and I wouldn't dream of taking it from you."

They laughed and they hugged and they looked around, there was no one out there but the two of them. They smiled conspiratorially, both of them understanding the meaning of the look they shared. He gave her a quick kiss and hurried to the truck to get the blanket off the backseat, and there in the soft green grass of early spring they made love to the sounds of the creek flowing, the birds singing, and the leaves rustling. Those sounds provided all the background music they needed.

Afterward she asked him, "Daryl do you always carry one of those little packets in your wallet?"

He ran his hand softly down the side of her face, kissed her and answered, "I gotta, just in case ya say yes."

"Do I ever say no?"

"Not yet, and I hope like hell ya never do."

"I can't imagine I ever would."

He stroked a hand through her hair, kissed her deeply and said the words she knew she would never tire of hearing, "I love you Beth.

* * *

As soon they were down off the mountain they drove to the real estate office and made their offer. One month later they had the deed in hand.

Life was good and business was booming. Over the months the shop had expanded to include the snow machines Merle campaigned for. He laughed and clapped Daryl on the back as the delivery people moved them from the trailer and onto the new showroom floor, "This is just the beginnin' little brother, this time next year we'll have an even bigger shop and we'll be selling four wheelers too."

As the shop became more successful their income steadily increased plus, they still had money left from the contest. Yet their lifestyle hadn't change much at all. They still lived in the little house and there had been very few changes made to it.

She'd hung a few pictures on the walls, and ever since Maggie's wedding Daryl always made sure there were fresh flowers on the kitchen table. She'd asked him to paint the bathroom pale yellow and he did. She bought new towels, a new shower curtain and made new curtains for the window.

She asked him to paint their bedroom a soft blue color and he did, and she bought new sheets and new bed pillows. She sewed new curtains for the windows and there was a new bedspread. Except for those few changes, things remained unchanged in the little house.

He'd asked her a few times if she was sure she didn't want a larger, fancier house. The last time he did she'd gotten downright irritated with him. "I want you to stop asking me that Daryl Dixon. I love this house. I don't plan on leaving it. I fell in love with my husband here." She paused and smiled, "Well maybe I fell in love before we ever even got here, but that doesn't matter. This is our home and I'm not leaving."

He stood up straight like he was at attention, saluted her and said, "Yes Ma'am Mrs. Dixon."

She side-eyed him and he laughed as he got her in a bear hug and said, "I'll tell ya girl, you're the only person I know who's more stubborn than me."

They were happy and their home was happy, and for the first time in his life Daryl saw that his brother was happy. Not the joking around, glad handing and telling jokes kind of happy. Merle was genuinely happy and content with Carol in his life.

Except when Carol wasn't there.

That was the problem, Carol didn't live there. She lived far away where she had a big important job and a big fat paycheck. She didn't seem inclined to leave the job, at least not as far as Daryl or Beth knew. And Merle didn't plan to leave Road Ragin'. They were at an impasse.

00

In just one month they would celebrate their first anniversary. Of course the casino was making a very big deal out of the occasion. One week before the anniversary they would be flying the newlyweds back to Las Vegas first class. There would be a large party, a series of interviews and they'd film one more commercial. They didn't mind it this time, they told themselves it was a very small price to pay for how well things turned out for them.

They had some plans of their own too. This time they were going to enjoy the honeymoon suite like they wished they would have the first time they stayed in it.

They were packing their bags when he grabbed her, got her down on their little bed and was tickling her when he threatened, "I can't wait ta get ya in that big ass shower Baby. I plan ta have all kindsa fun with your sweet self and there won't be no escapin' me."

She was laughing so hard she almost couldn't answer, "Who says I'm going to try Mister Dixon?"

* * *

The hype was in high gear just as it had been when they first won. Interest in the newlyweds had once again shot through the roof. Besides the entertainment shows and the magazines, every local news personality wanted to get in some time with the newlywed millionaires, who were just one week shy of no longer officially being newlyweds.

Carol scheduled a series of interviews one right after another and although it was grueling, it actually made it a little easier on Daryl and Beth. They lost that whole day and evening talking to TV reporters, magazine reporters and internet reporters, but when the day was done, so were they.

Except for the commercial.

Even it seemed to go pretty easy. They were a little more seasoned now, used to having cameras and phones pointed at them, and no one had to ask them to smile at each other, hold hands or kiss. It all came naturally and happily.

Of course it was also true that this time around they weren't hungover and wondering what they'd gotten themselves into, and what hell would end up happening next.

* * *

They'd invited their families and friends to join them for the first anniversary celebration, and everyone was due to arrive in Vegas three days before the big party. Originally the casino had agreed to fly the family there, but not first class as the newlyweds flown. The family would travel in economy class.

That didn't sit well with Carol at all. She decided she'd better have a sit down with the big boss and encourage him to see things her way.

She reminded him how beneficial it was for the casino to appear gracious and generous. She reminded him about all the money the young couple had helped put in the casino's coffers and his own pocket. She reminded him of how the country, and the world really, had fallen in love with them and their story. And that whole world would be watching one year later to see how the young couple were doing.

Did he really want to make her old Daddy, her pregnant sister and the brother in law, and her brother and sister in law and their new baby, travel in economy? Of course, who could forget the groom's one and only family member, his brother.

Wouldn't the casino look generous and wonderfully kind if they brought the group in first class? Maybe they could even do a little filming of Daryl and Beth meeting them at the airport.

She smiled her sweetest smile when she promised, "I can guarantee you, if you fly them all out here first class and put them in the nicest rooms I'll make sure it's headline news: 'The French Riviera Hotel & Casino Treats Family Like Family.'" Another brilliant marketing plan was hatched.

Daryl and Beth paid the airfare for Jim and his wife Jill, Abe and Rosita, and Amber and her fiancé Alden. Their reason was simple, they wanted them there too. Carol again took matters into her capable hands when she arranged for their friend's rooms. She winked at the hotel hospitality manager, "They all look like high rollers to me. The casino always comps the rooms for big gamblers, right?"

He smiled back, "Why of course Miss Carol! Nothing but the finest the hotel has to offer for our special guests."

The morning of their anniversary a breakfast, very similar to the first breakfast they'd shared, was delivered to the room. He smiled at her as he dropped a strawberry in her champagne glass, popped the cork on the bottle and poured it for her. He poured his own, they clinked glasses and he said, "To us Mrs. Dixon, Happy Anniversary. I love ya Baby."

"And I love you Mister Dixon. Happy Anniversary Honey."

They enjoyed the breakfast and the champagne and then he got such a sweet and innocent look when he asked, "Ya think we oughta shower now? I mean, ya know, if we're gonna be spendin' the day with everyone we should probably clean up. Right?"

Between the champagne and his contrived innocence she was laughing again. "Absolutely, I wouldn't want to be smelly at my own party."

He was doing his best not to laugh when he picked her up in his arms and carried her that way, "Yeah, ya better come with me Miss Stinky. I'll get ya washed up."

The jets were hitting them in all the right places as he lathered up her hair, and it was all he could do to try and keep at least half his mind on what he was doing. He kissed her shoulder and her neck and got a mouth full of shampoo that didn't even phase him. He ran a shampoo covered hand over the curve of her bottom and whispered, "Nicest ass in the world."

She turned around in his arms and smiled, "I don't know about that. My husband's ass is pretty fine."

His shampoo covered hands slowly began to glide from her shoulders down her chest, where he rubbed his soapy palms softly and teasingly over her nipples.

She urged him, "We'll never finish our shower if we don't speed this up." He just smiled and kept teasing her breasts, then she made a grab for his manhood and said, "Now! I want you in that great big bed with me right now!" Her strategy worked, the rest of the shower went so much more quickly.

They enjoyed toweling each other off and when they were dry enough he once again lifted her in his arms. He wasn't done carrying her around. He liked the feel of her small body in his arms, and how her arms circled his neck as she pressed her body into his.

He laid her down on the big bed and she smiled as she spread her legs for him. He didn't hesitate to take her up on the offer. They'd done a lot of teasing in the shower and he was ready for her. Still, he didn't rush it.

He covered a breast with his mouth, softly sucked and then looked up at her, "Yep, smells sweet and tastes nice n clean. I done a fine cleanin' job."

She was laughing when she scolded, "Quit it Daryl."

"I can't, I ain't done checkin' for spots I mighta missed."

His tongue slowly slid down her abdomen and over her mound, and then it was on her and in her, tasting and flicking across her clit. She was wiggling and moaning and he was so ready. He scooted up on his knees, grabbed the condom off the nightstand, then paused. He looked in her eyes and she thought she might know what he was about to ask.

"Wanna just forget this thing and see what happens?"

Her smile and her eyes were sparkling when she said, "Yes, let's see."

He tossed the packet over his shoulder and said, "Alright, ready or not…"

* * *

Carol had the stylist sent up. A very nice fellow named Eric who had garment bags with the clothes they'd chosen. Before they dressed he helped Beth with her hair and makeup while Daryl sat in the chair, just quietly watching as the woman he loved got herself all prettied up. He spoke from the heart when he said, "Ya know ya don't need all that shit Baby. I like your look when we're campin'. When ya got no makeup and your hair's all crazy curly."

Before Beth could respond Eric chimed in, "I agree with you. Your wife is pretty enough without makeup. I promise I'll keep it light."

Her husband had already seen her dress so there was no need to hide it from him. The couple got their clothes on, smiled at each other and he took her in his arms. He'd just leaned in to kiss her when there was a knock at the door.

"I knew there was sumthin' I hated about this damn place and that's it. Someone's always knockin' on the fuckin' door.'

He opened it and a young dark-haired woman stuck out a hand to bump fists and said, "Hey, hi, I'm Tara. I'm just here to get a couple of photos of you two before we go downstairs. Alright?"

Beth was confused, "We're taking photos here? In the room?"

Tara smiled and explained, "It's Carol's idea. She thought a couple of posed photos of you two might be a nice thing for you to have. They're not for publicity, they're just for you. There's that living room area over there, and that really cool bar. I could get some great snaps."

Beth was excited now, "Oh yes, that would be wonderful. Let's do it Daryl."

"Sure yeah, why the hell not? I had my picture taken so many times in the last year it don't even hurt anymore."

* * *

After the photos Tara left with them, but they didn't go to the small ballroom where their friends and family were gathered and waiting, instead they went straight to the chapel.

Carol was waiting for them there and she smiled when they walked in. "You two look so beautiful, just like you always do. The difference today is, I'm pretty sure you're glowing."

Her words had them blushing. Daryl gave the woman a quick hug and said, "Hey, thanks for helpin' us pull all this off Carol. We couldn't a managed it without ya. No one suspects a thing."

Carol was beaming, "It's going to be so wonderful and I'm so happy you thought of this idea. It's perfect. Thank you for agreeing to let Tara take some photos during the ceremony. It will be 100% your choice which photos we give to Entertainment Tonight and People to use." She laughed softly and said, "You know your fans are going to want to see the newest wedding pictures of their favorite newlyweds."

Soft music was playing in the background as the couple took a moment to look around the room. It was decorated just as they'd planned. No cheesy Las Vegas glitz. There were white chairs for their guests and a white aisle runner, but most importantly there were huge bouquets and baskets filled with real flowers, not the usual artificial ones. They were just what Beth had chosen, white roses.

She loved the symbolism of the white rose, true love and unity and the pureness of an honest love. When she'd mention it to Daryl his response was immediate, "Yeah Baby, let's get those kinda flowers. Lotsa those."

Carol handed them each a box. Beth opened hers first, it was the smallest of the two. She removed the single white rose, Daryl's boutonnière, and pinned it to his lapel. He looked down at the flower then at her and said, "Damn Baby, I'm so fancy." He kissed her forehead and added, "But then I s'pose a guy marryin' a woman as pretty as you oughta try n look a little fancy."

He opened the box Carol had given him and handed his bride her bouquet of white roses. They shared a kiss and Tara took a picture of them on the small alter. Then Carol radioed her new assistant, "Hi Enid, you can bring our guests to the chapel now."

Beth scooted into a separate bridal waiting room with Carol, and Daryl stood by the door to greet the stunned guests. Maggie was all smiles as she pretended to punch his arm, "You're not! The two of you get to have _two_ weddings when I only got to have _one_?! This is so not fair, so not fair." Then she got serious, kissed his cheek and said, "I'm so happy Daryl, you two deserve to have a special wedding."

She started to take a seat with Glenn but Daryl stopped her, "No Maggie, Beth said ya got a job ta do. Enid's gonna take ya to her."

He told her Daddy, "If ya could stand here and wait just a few minutes Hershel, Beth's gonna need her Daddy ta walk her down the aisle." He saw the tears in the old man's eyes when he nodded his head, and it made Daryl feel even happier they were doing what they were doing.

When everyone was seated he walked over to Merle and said, "C'mon brother, you're standin' up there with me."

It was not the usual wedding chapel preacher. The fellow who would officiate was a pastor at a real church in Vegas, Father Gabriel was his name. Daryl and Beth met with him the previous morning to talk about vows and what they wanted.

He stood on the small alter with Daryl and his brother, and Carol sat with Glenn.

The music changed and Daryl knew it was time. He stood straight and kept his eyes on the door, watching as Maggie came walking through. She was carrying a small bouquet of mixed roses and there was a big smile on her face.

The groom swallowed hard and kept his eye on the door, and then she was there. Her arm was looped through her Daddy's and she looked straight at her husband, the man she loved enough to marry twice.

He couldn't keep from smiling at the sight of the woman he was about to marry. She wore a simple white satin dress and she left her hair hanging down, like he liked it. There were little flowers twined in it, and when she smiled at him he was sure there had never been a woman more beautiful.

He remembered when she'd looked at the dress and said, "No, it would be silly for me to wear white."

He didn't let that go by, "What the fuck Beth, ya wear what ya want. If anyone don't like it they can kiss my ass."

She couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from him as she made the slow-paced walk. He looked so handsome. It was funny to her how different the two of them were, and yet how well they seemed to work together. Here she was all dressed in white, and there he was all dressed in black. Black shirt, black suit, even a waistcoat. He'd really turned it up for her.

The thought in both their minds though was how much this meant. Having a chance to say their vows again when they were both fully "present" in body and in mind. It was everything to them to make this commitment to each other because they knew beyond all doubt their love was true, they would be together forever.

They said their vows, the preacher pronounced them man and wife, and the small group of family and friends whistled and clapped happily when the groom kissed his bride.

Everyone made their way back to the small ballroom to toast the couple with glasses of champagne, and all enjoyed the steak and seafood dinner, the dancing and the chocolate wedding cake.

Daryl and Beth slipped the gift box to Carol as they quietly thanked her for everything she'd done for them. "Oh you two, I didn't expect a gift. Shame on you. I loved helping you do this, what's more exciting than being a co-conspirator? I appreciate that you trusted me, and I had the most fun I've ever had planning an event."

Then she whispered to them, "I hate to do this to you on your wedding day, but Merle and I have a little favor to ask you. It won't take more than a half hour."

Daryl's brow furrowed, "What? Is everythin' okay?"

"Everything is perfect. We want you to take a little walk with us, we're just going down the block. Would you?"

Daryl was confused by the odd request but Carol had helped them so much he didn't bat an eye about saying, "Yeah, yeah sure," he looked to Beth, "is that okay Baby?"

"Yes of course. What's going on Carol?"

"You'll see." She smiled that little smile that on the one hand was so sweet, but it also looked like she was up to something.

The guests began to drift away, back to their rooms or out to the gaming tables. When Maggie left with Glenn to walk Daddy to his room, Beth told her husband, "Okay, we can all go now."

They still had no idea where they were going, they just followed his brother and Carol. They got a half block down the street when they spotted it just up ahead, the _Love Me Tender Wedding Chapel_.

Daryl couldn't seem to help it, he started to laugh, "You're fuckin' kiddin' me ain't ya Merle?"

"Shit no I ain't kiddin' ya."

Carol laughed too when she said, "Daryl come on now, of all the people you know who do you think is the most likely candidate to ask the woman he loves to get married, by a preacher dressed like Elvis?"

Merle looked a little offended when he shrugged and asked, "Well who the fuck is more romantic than Elvis?"

Daryl and Beth stood up with the bride and groom as they took their vows, and they made as much noise as they could when "Elvis" pronounced his brother and Carol man and wife.

Beth just had to know and she asked, "Is this going to be a long distance marriage?"

Merle didn't wait for his bride to answer, "Hell no it ain't, I want this woman in my bed with me every night."

Carol was shaking her head, but she was also grinning ear to ear. A genuinely happy smile, "I'm going to start my own event planning business right from home." Then she got the biggest smile of her life as she patted her tummy and added, "I'll want to be at home when the baby comes."

* * *

Later that night, and finally alone in their room, Daryl was kissing her shoulder as he slowly unbuttoned her dress. He paused, wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "I love ya Baby. I'm so happy we done this today. We made good memories." He slipped his hands inside the dress and as he fingers skimmed along her warm skin he nuzzled her ear and added, "Let's make another."

** Five Years Later **

The little camper now stayed permanently in their backyard. Beth had it fixed up real cute with a brick walkway leading to the door and pots of flowers around it, there was even a small umbrella table and four chairs.

She loved sitting at the little table while she watched their children play, four year old Wes and his two year old sister Ruby. The camper was like their own fancy dollhouse where their Mama fed them their lunches and they played games at the little table.

As their family had grown she'd finally admitted they needed something a little bigger for camping, but she just couldn't let go of the little camper where so much love had been made those first couple of years.

He'd found something almost as special though. It was an old motor home, built heavy like things used to be made. Real wood and steal construction. It was in pretty darn good shape but he did fix up a few things, and of course he got new mattresses for all the beds.

That's what it had that they needed, separate bedrooms. One for them and one for the kids. They were small rooms, barely more than enough space to have a double bed in theirs and bunks in the children's tiny room. But that was all they needed.

Daryl built side rails on the bunks to keep the children safe, and when all was ready he and Merle moved it onto his and Beth's land. It was their little home in the wilderness where they would spend many happy days and nights.

The millionaire newlyweds had all that they could ever want, each other, their children, and a get-away place of their own.

The first night they stayed there, after they'd tucked the children in bed and crawled in their own, he told her. "Ya know, I used ta be a kind of miserable guy. I had a chip on my shoulder, I thought everyone hated me and so I decided I hated everyone. When the economy tanked and I thought I's gonna lose everythin' I had, shit. I knew it was true. I was the kind of guy who had no good luck at all."

He pulled her closer, kissed her hair and said, "Everything changed when me and Merle made a side trip ta Vegas, and I met my Lady Luck."

_And They Lived Happily Ever After_

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again sooooo much! Please leave a comment / review. I have loved writing this story and I have loved hearing from all of you. I'll be back next Friday with a new Bethyl story, something a bit different. I hope you'll stop by and check it out. In the meantime remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it and that you'll leave a comment /review. I'll be back next Friday with Chapter Two of Lady Luck and I hope you'll be here too! Until then remember, I love ya large and appreciate you so much! xo gneebee


End file.
